Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean
Monday, June 24, 1985 17:50 AST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING AN OVERWATER FLT, A FIRE BEGAN IN THE FRONT SECTION OF THE ACFT WHILE HE WAS CRUISING AT 10,500 FT. HE RADIOED HIS POSITION ON THE EMERGENCY FREQ (121.5 MHZ) & SQUAWKED AN EMERGENCY CODE (7700) ON HIS TRANSPONDER. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE DITCHED THE ACFT IN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN & WAS RESCUED BY THE COAST GUARD ABOUT 4 HRS LATER. THE ACFT SANK IN THE OCEAN & WAS NOT RECOVERED; THEREFORE, THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE PLT SUSPECTED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Atlantic Standard Time
Event City ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event State ATLANTIC OCEAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1754 Atlantic Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID SJU
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 300
Time Zone of the weather observation AST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1516
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 24 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1927
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28887
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 N21ML
NTSB Number MIA85LA198
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23-250
Aircraft Serial Number 27-7554134
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1150
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. HARRIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2500 N. ATLANTA ST., SUITE 27
Aircraft Owner City SMYRNA
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30080
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT L. HARRIS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2500 N. ATLANA ST.,SUITE 27
Operator City SMYRNA
Operator State GA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 30080
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 SJU
Departure City SAN JUAN
Departure State PR
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FLL
Destination City FT.LAUDERDALE
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 --