Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near South Bay, Florida 33493
Tuesady, May 17, 1983 9:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE ACFT & WAS USING IT TO COMMUTE ON A WEEKLY BASIS BETWEEN HIS RESIDENCE IN HIALEAH & LA BELLE WHERE HE WORKED AS AN ACFT MECHANIC. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND COMPLETELY SUBMERGED IN A CANAL AFTER A FLORIDA FISH & GAME OFFICIAL BECAME SUSPICIOUS WHEN HE OBSERVED SOME SMALL DEBRIS HANGING FROM A POWERLINE. VFR WX PREVAILED IN MIAMI DURING THE 0830 DEPARTURE. HOWEVER, A WITNESS AT THE LA BELLE ARPT STATED THAT AFTER 0700 FOG COMPLETELY COVERED THE ARPT & VISIBILITY WAS DOWN TO 30 FT. THE WIND THEN PICKED UP AROUND 1000 & BETWEEN 1030 & 1100 THE WIND BLEWTHE FOG AWAY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEAR SOUTH BAY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33493
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
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 749 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 41
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1500
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21794
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 N8235N
NTSB Number MIA83FA143
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-25442
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MANUEL ANTONIO MOLINA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1099 WEST 40TH ST.
Aircraft Owner City HIALEAH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33012
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 OPF
Departure City MIAMI
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X41
Destination City LA BELLE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
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 --