Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Tuesady, May 23, 1989 3:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SHANNON, IRELAND UNDER A TWO AIRCRAFT VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND HAD BECOME SEPARATED DURING THE SPECIAL VFR DEPARTURE. UPON APPROACHING FRONTAL ACTIVITY N5548X WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE COMPANION AIRCRAFT AND ELECTED TO DEVIATE SOUTH OF A STORM ON HIS COURSE. THE PILOT REPORTED TO HIS COMPANION AIRCRAFT, NORTH OF THE STORM, THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED RAIN AND THEN ICING CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A HEATED PILOT SYSTEM. RESCUE AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT SEA FOG EXISTED IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT. THE INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER WAS NOT SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES UPON IMPACT WITH THE WATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT FROM VMC TO IMC, WITH ICING CONDITIONS, FROM WHICH RECOVERY WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 300
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 654
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40197
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Unknown
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5548X
NTSB Number LAX89LA202
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AYRES
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R
Aircraft Serial Number 2425R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4400
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PIERCE AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 607
Aircraft Owner City BUCKEYE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85326
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EINN
Departure City SHANNON
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BIKE
Destination City REKJAVIK
Destination State OF
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --