Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Molino, Florida 32577
Sunday, November 27, 1988 12:14 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF AN APCHG COLD FRONT IN THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE AS WELL AS A FORECAST OF HVY THUNDER- STORM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF PENSACOLA. EN ROUTE, HE WAS PROVIDED VFR FLT FOLLOWING FROM PENSACOLA APCH CTL WHILE CRUISING AT 6500 FT. OTHER FLTS THAT WERE OPERATING IN THE AREA AT LOWER ALTITUDE WERE DEVIATING AROUND WX TO REMAIN IN VFR CONDS. AT ABOUT 1214 CST, THE ACFT ENTERED A RAPID DSCNT. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN INFLT BREAKUP OF THE ACFT OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1735 FT AREA. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THEY HEARD THE ENG ROARING IN THE CLOUDS. THEY RPRTD THE ACFT CAME OUT OF A CLOUD BASE & SHED ITS WINGS & TAIL BEFORE CRASHING. THEY ALSO RPRTD LOW CLOUDSIN THE VICINITY WITH GUSTY SURFACE WINDS & RAIN. AN EXAM REVEALED THE WINGS & TAIL SURFACES HAD SEPD IN OVERLOAD. NO PRE-ACDNT FAILURE, MALFUNCTION OR FATIGUE OF THE ACFT WAS FND. THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO BE 254 LBS OVER ITS MAX GROSS WT LIMIT & THE CG WAS ESTD TO BE .1 INCH BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT. THE PLT'S MED CERT WAS DATED 10/16/86.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/27/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1214
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MOLINO
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32577
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID PNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1882
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 27 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38129
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8033Y
NTSB Number MIA89FA044
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8216083
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 25 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 3600
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH J. SIERRA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1808 E 115 AVE
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SIERRA, JOSEPH J.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1808 E. 115 AVE.
Operator City TAMPA
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33612
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TPF
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOB
Destination City MOBILE
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --