Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sebastian, Florida 32958
Sunday, June 5, 1983 18:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE FLT, THE PLT CONTACTED VERO BEACH TOWER & REQUESTED THE WX. HE WAS ADVISED THAT VERO BEACH & FT PIERCE, FL WERE VFR, BUT THERE WAS WX NORTH OF VERO BEACH, A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WAS IN EFFECT & THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE TRANSMISSION & INDICATED HE WAS IN THE AREA OF THE VALKARIA ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE REPORTED THAT HE HAD OVERFLOWN THE VALKAPIA ARPT & WOULD PROCEED SOUTH TO VERO BEACH. ABOUT 4 MIN LATER, HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS NORTH OF VERO BEACH IN IFR WX & THAT HE WAS GOING TO REVERSE COURSE & GO BACK TO VALKARIA. THE PLT'S LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION WAS MADE AT 1820 EDT. THE NEXT MORNING, ACFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN THAT SAME VICINITY WHERE THE PLANE HAD IMPACTED IN THE INTERCOASTAL WATERWAY. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT IT HAD CRASHED IN A NEAR INVERTED, NOSE DOWN, LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS, LIGHTNING & HEAVY SHOWERS WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SEBASTIAN
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32958
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 6
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1836 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2602
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22907
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 N4724S
NTSB Number MIA83FA152
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-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-1163
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Mar 9 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 3679
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORMAN B. MAYER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 130 QUEEN CHRISTINA COURT
Aircraft Owner City FT. PIERCE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33450
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 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 No
Departure Airport Code 2RR
Departure City RIVER RANCH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1760
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FPR
Destination City FT. PIERCE
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --