Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rockledge, Florida 32955
Sunday, March 31, 1985 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON MARCH 31, 1985 THE RENTAL ACFT DEPARTED MERRITT ISLAND FLON APRIL 1, 1985 THE ACFT WAS FOUND CRASHED NEAR ROCKLEDGE FL. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE ACFT IMPACTD THE GROUND IN A HIGH VELOCITY 40 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. AN INTERVIEW WITH PERSONS WHO HAD BEEN WITH THE PILOT DURING THE PREVIOUS DAY ANDNIGHT REVEALED THAT HE HAD BEEN EMOTIONALLY DISTRAUGHT OVER AN APPARENT OCCASION OF MEDICAL PROBLEMS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 0
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ROCKLEDGE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32955
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID MLB
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 764
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27986
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5180S
NTSB Number MIA85FA140
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number PA-28-180
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 Mar 6 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 3332
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRANKLIN PLEZIA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21 COLONIAL DR.
Aircraft Owner City COCOA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32931
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MERRITT ISLAND AIR SERVICEW
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 900 AIRPORT RD.
Operator City MERRITT ISLAND
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32952
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 COI
Departure City MERRITT ISLAND
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Unknown
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --