Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pass-A-Grille, Florida 33706
Sunday, August 13, 1989 13:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS BEING USED TO DEMONSTRATE FLT CHARACTERISTICS TO CAP CADETS. DRG AN OFF-SHORE FLT OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, THE ACFT ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED APRX 3 MI FROM LAND. A WITNESS, WHO SAW THE ACFT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, RPRTD THAT IT WAS SPINNING IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE ACFT SANK ALMOST IMMEDIATELY IN 28 FT OF WATER. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. A CHECK OF THE WEIGHT & BALANCE INFO SHOWED THE ACFT HAD BEEN LOADED APRX 114 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LIMIT. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT JUST BEFORE THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT, THE PLT HAD MADE TWO RAPID 180 DEG TURNS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A STALL/SPIN. EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF AVAILABLE ALTITUDE FOR SPIN RECOVERY WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1355
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PASS-A-GRILLE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33706
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1358 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
Weather Observation Facility ID SPG
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 14
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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) 1424
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1606
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39723
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99901
NTSB Number MIA89FA220
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
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 17276525
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 8 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1267
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIVIL AIR PATROL
Aircraft Owner Street Address MAXWELL AFB, BLDG. 117
Aircraft Owner City MAXWELL AFB
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36112
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 09
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SPG
Departure City ST PETERSBURG
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --