Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Key West, Florida 33040
Saturday, April 14, 1984 17:04 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM RWY 27. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT APPEARED UNUSUALLY SLOW DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE PLT REPORTED TO THE TOWER HE HAD A PROBLEM & WAS GOING TO 'COME AROUND.' THE ACFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN AND APPEARED TO STOP CLIMBING AT 200 FT AGL. A WITNESS STATED THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED, THE ENGINE DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS DEVELOPING FULL POWER AND THE LEFT CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN APRX 8 TO 10 INCHES. AFTER APRX 90 DEG OF RIGHT TURN, THE ACFT NOSE DROPPED, THE PLANE ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, THEN IT DESCENDED BELOW THE TREELINE & CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A HOUSE. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS & ENG REVEALED NO PRE-CRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT CABIN DOOR WAS FOUND IN THE OPEN POSITION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/14/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1704
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KEY WEST
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33040
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 4
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 1709 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID EYW
Elevation of weather observation facility 4
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1647
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25467
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 N5942N
NTSB Number MIA84FA139
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell
Aircraft Model 114A
Aircraft Series Identifier 114A
Aircraft Serial Number 14539
Certified Max Gross Weight 3260
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 2 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 200
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANIBAL MASSA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 43 HOLMAN ST.
Aircraft Owner City PORTSMOUTH
Aircraft Owner State RI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02871
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GERALD A.KAPLAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 17 LONGVIEW DRIVE
Operator City CRANSTON
Operator State RI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 02920
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 EYW
Departure City KEY WEST
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1702
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 7X1
Destination City SUGAR LOAF KEY
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 27
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --