Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key West, Florida 33040
Wednesday, March 27, 1985 16:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER THE ACFT DEPARTED THE SEAPLANE PARKING AREA, THE PLT NOTICED THAT THE LEFT FLOAT WAS TAKING ON WATER. HE INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARDS THE RAMP AREA & APPLIED FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH SHALLOWER WATER. AS HE APCHD THE PARKING AREA & WAS TURNING THE ACFT OUT OF THE WIND, A COMBINATION OF WIND, WAVE ACTION & FORWARD MOTION CAUSED THE LEFT FLOAT TO DIG IN. THE ACFT THEN NOSED OVER IN ABOUT 4 FT OF WATER. A POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE LEFT FLOAT REVEALED A 1-1/2 INCH TRANSVERSE SPLIT JUST FORWARD OF THE BULKHEAD IN THE LARGEST COMPARTMENT OF THE FLOAT WHICH ALLOWED IT TO TAKE ON WATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/1985
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KEY WEST
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33040
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID EYW
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 100
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 572
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 28 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28168
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 N4944U
NTSB Number MIA85LA135
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 206
Aircraft Series Identifier 206
Aircraft Serial Number 420605172
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 91
Airframe Hours 26791
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KEY WEST SEAPLANE SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5603 JUNIOR COLLEGE RD.
Aircraft Owner City KEY WEST
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33040
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
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City DRY TORTUGAS
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EYW
Destination City KEY WEST
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
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 --