Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Vero Beach, Florida 32960
Sunday, January 2, 1983 19:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREE TOPS DURING A NIGHT FLIGHT BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND LAND AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS ON APPROACH TO FORT PIERCE AIRPORT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER ACCORDING TO SOME WITNESSES WHO WERE FISHING, A DARKENED ACFT CAME OVER THEIR POSITION IN A REMOTE AREA ABOUT 13 MILES WEST OF VERO BEACH AND CLIPPED THE TOPS OF CYPRESS TREES. CYPRESS TREE DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE WING OF THE DAMAGED ACFT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STATE THE RUNWAY HE WAS USING AT FT. PIERCE WHEN QUESTIONED LATER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City NEAR VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32960
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 1
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 13
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1855 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 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) 361
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 20707
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 N35590
NTSB Number MIA83LA056
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-301R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-301R
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-8013020
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 14 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 62
Airframe Hours 857
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name H & R LEASING
Aircraft Owner Street Address 955 7TH AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PRO FLIGHT OF VERO BEACH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 998
Operator City VERO BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 32960
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
Departure City STATSBORO
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --