Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Davie, Florida 33320
Thursday, May 25, 1989 21:33 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE POLICE OFFICER/PILOT FLYING THE PUBLIC USE AIRPLANE ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN, AND DESCEND IN AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT'S LAST TRANSMISSION WAS THAT HE WAS IN A 'DEADMANS SPIN'. COMPARISON OF THE PILOTS LOGBOOK WITH AN AIRPLANE FLIGHT LOG REVEALED DESCREPANCIES. THEREFORE, THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WHICH THE PILOT HAD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRPLANE CONTROL WHILE ENTERING AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND BENEATH HIS FLIGHT PATH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/25/1989
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2133
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAVIE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33320
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2148 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 91
Weather Observation Facility ID FXE
Elevation of weather observation facility 14
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1369
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 25 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2244
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39667
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N65777
NTSB Number MIA89GA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 172-75880
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Feb 7 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 1720
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CITY OF FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 14250
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 14250
Operator City FORT LAUDERDALE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33301
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code TLH
Departure City TALLAHASSEE
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FXE
Destination City FORT LAUDERDALE
Destination State FL
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 --