Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Port Richie, Florida 33358
Friday, December 9, 1983 20:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES DURING A NIGHT FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER SAID HE HAD METTHE TWO PLTS IN A BAR WHERE THEY DRANK BEER. THEY LATER WENT TO THE ARPT AND FLEW X-COUNTRY ABOUT 70 MILES TO EAT & HAVE MORE BEER. THEY TOOK OUT BEER FOR THE RETURN TRIP. DURING THE FLT BACK THE ENGINE QUIT, WAS RESTARTED & QUIT AGAIN.THE PASSENGER STATED THERE WAS NO FIRE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO FUEL. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN EITHER TANK. A CARDBOARD BOX LINED WITH PLASTIC CONTAINING UNMELTED ICE & BEER WAS FOUND ON THE BACK SEAT FLOOR. THE TWO PLT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVELS WERE 0.217% & 0.386%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/9/1983
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2038
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PORT RICHIE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33358
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1952 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 15
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3301
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23787
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3719
NTSB Number MIA84FA042
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-22
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5437
Certified Max Gross Weight 1850
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 Dec 2 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 2516
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HOWARD F. MERRITT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11669 OVAL DR. W.
Aircraft Owner City LARGO
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CDK
Departure City CEDAR KEY
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLW
Destination City CLEARWATER
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:31AM
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 --