Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miramar, Florida 33023
Sunday, January 6, 1985 14:14 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN INTERRUPTION OF PWR WAS EXPERIENCED AS AN ABRUPT STEEP DIVE MANEUVER WAS ENTERED TO RELEASE THE BANNER TOWED BY THE ACFT. THE PLT THEN ATTEMPTED A 180 DEG TURN AT AN ALT OF APRX 200 FT AGL TO AVOID PWR LINES. THE ACFT ENTERED A HIGH DESCENT RATE AND CONTACTED THE GROUND NEARLY WINGS LEVEL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED APRX 7 GALS OF FUEL AND THE LEFT TANK CONTAINED APRX 1 GAL. THE FUEL PICK-UP LINES ARE LOCATED IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE FUEL TANKS. FUEL STARVATION RESULTED AS THE FUEL WAS IN TE FORWARD PORTION OF THE TANKS DURING THE DIVE MANEUVER AND FUEL IN THE LINES WAS EXHAUSTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/6/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1414
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MIRAMAR
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33023
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
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 Unknown
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 1347 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 216
Weather Observation Facility ID TMB
Elevation of weather observation facility 9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 43
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1455
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27169
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 N3362M
NTSB Number MIA85LA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-12
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-12
Aircraft Serial Number 12-2238
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 25 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2854
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOB L. MAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2966 N.W. 69 CT.
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33309
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERIAL SIGN CO INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7501 PEMBROKE RD
Operator City HOLLYWOOD
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33023
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 10:36AM
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 --