Tampa Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tampa, Florida 33601
Sunday, March 20, 1983 6:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN INSTRUMENT TAKEOFF IN IMC. THE SKY WAS OBSCURED & VISIBILITY ZERO. AFTER LIFT-OFF THE ACFT BEGAN TO SETTLE. THE PLT STATED HE AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION BY ADVANCING DOWN TRIM WHICH WAS HIS ROUTINE TO ESTABLISH A 5 DEG CLIMB PITCH. HE FURTHER AGGRAVATED THE SITUATION BY ENGAGING THE AUTOPILOT. ON 'HDG' MODE THE AUTOPILOT HOLDS THE ACTIVE TRIM WHICH WAS STILL DOWN. THE PLT ALSO THOUGHT HE SET THE HSI BUG TO THE RWY HEADING OF 360 DEG. AFTER THE ACCIDENT HE FOUND THE 'HDG' BUG ON 330 DEG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 620
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City TAMPA
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33601
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TAMPA INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TPA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 27
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1382
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21676
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 N1166U
NTSB Number MIA83FA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1297
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Jan 18 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 319
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BENTON VENEER COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 202
Aircraft Owner City BENTON
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72015
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MALCOLM P. LAWRENCE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 202
Operator City BENTON
Operator State AR
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 72015
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 --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code TPA
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 620
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MONTGOMERY
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 36R
Runway Length 8300
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --