Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cedar Key, Florida 32625
Wednesday, August 27, 1986 11:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOST FUEL PRESSURE AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ACFT WERE TO NO AVAIL. HE TRIED TO MAKE IT TO CEDAR KEY BUT WAS UNABLE AND DITCHED IN THE OCEAN WATERS 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF CEDAR KEY. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED SUFFICIENT FUEL. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY BLOCKAGE AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING A BENCH TEST OF THE FUEL INJECTION SERVO. DETERMINATION COULD NOT BE MADE AS TO THE NATURE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM AS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1137
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CEDAR KEY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32625
Event Date Year 1986
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2400
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1405
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1312
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31796
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4524J
NTSB Number MIA86LA244
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-R
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-30382
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1940
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREGORY COURS, PANIELLO
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3346
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1292
Operator City BRANDON
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33511
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 SEM
Departure City SELMA
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --