Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Freeport, Florida 32439
Sunday, November 18, 1984 17:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PREFLT WX BRIEF INCLUDED ADVISORY FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS ALONG ROUTE OF FLT. DEPARTED IN VFR CONDITIONS BUT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX ENROUTE, RECEIVED INFLT WX ADVISORY TO EXPECT LOW CLNGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY AHEAD. PLT STATED HE 'WOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER. 'ABOUT 50 MINS LATER, PLT REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO ASSIST IN CIRCUMNAVIGATING RAIN SHOWERS. VECOTR GIVEN BUT ACFT TGT OBSERVED NOT FOLLOWING VECTOR. PLT NEXT REQUEDTED A HEADING TO 'GET HIM OUT OF WEATHER.' STATING HE WAS IN RAIN AND 'HAVING A HARD TIME.' TGT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED ACFT IMPACTED IN HEAVILY WOODED AREA IN NEAR-VERTICAL ATTITUDE AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. WITNESSES HEARD SOUNDS OF HIGH ENGINE POWER PRIOR TO IMPACT; CITED WX CONDS AS DRIVING RAIN, GUSTY WINDS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY IN RAIN AND OVERCAST-INDUCED DARKNESS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/18/1984
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1740
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City FREEPORT
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32439
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 11
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1742 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID VPS
Elevation of weather observation facility 85
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
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) 29
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2946
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26944
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4316P
NTSB Number MIA85FA040
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R-301T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R-301
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-8329038
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 25 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BOBBY D. THORSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 133 SPRING CHASE CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City ALTAMONTE SPGS.
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 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 ORL
Departure City ORLANDO
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PNS
Destination City PENSACOLA
Destination State FL
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 --