Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ochopee, Florida 33943
Sunday, September 24, 1989 9:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N80587 MANUEVERED AROUND THE OBSERVATION TOWER AT SHARK VALLEY AT AN ALTITUDE OF 600 FEET. THE FLIGHT THEN DEPARTED THE AREA CLIMBING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 100 KNOTS. N1063F WAS PERFORMING SLOW FLIGHT WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED AT APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET AND A SOUTHWESTERLY HEADING. AS THE RADAR TARGETS OF BOTH AIRPLANES CROSSED, N1063F TURNED TOWARD THE WEST AND BEGAN TO FLY AN ERRATIC PATH. N80587 CONTINUED TO CLIMB NORMALLY AND RETURNED TO THE TAMIAMI AIRPORT FOR LANDING. N1063F WAS LOST FROM RADAR ONE MINUTE LATER. A TIRE MARK ON THE UPPER INBOARD AREA OF THE RIGHT WING OF N1063F WAS FOUND WHICH BEST MATCHES THE LEFT MAIN TIRE OF N80587. THE REAR WING SPAR OF N1063F FAILED IN THE AREA OF THE TIRE MARK AND THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE WINGS. THE PILOT OF N80587 DID NOT RECALL COLLIDING WITH ANOTHER AIRPLANE OR ANY EVENT THAT WOULD SUGGEST THIS. HE PASSED A POLYGRAPH TEST TO THAT EFFECT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES TO SEE AND AVOID EACH OTHER WHILE MANUEVERING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 935
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OCHOPEE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33943
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
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 946 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID TMB
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1661
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40548
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N1063F N80587
NTSB Number MIA89FA253A MIA89FA253B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Minor
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N 152
Aircraft Serial Number 17272941 15285366
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300 1670
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 25 1989 12:00AM --
Airframe hours since last inspection 85 --
Airframe Hours 3682 3032
ELT Installed Yes Yes
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRMIM, INC. TAMIAMI SERVICE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9230 SW 59TH ST. 14250 SW 129TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City MIAMI MIAMI
Aircraft Owner State FL FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33173 33186
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Instructional Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes No
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code IMB IMB
Departure City MIAMI MIAMI
Departure State FL FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 917 915
Departure Time Zone EDT EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length 0 0
Runway Width 0 0
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --