Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Marathon, Florida 33050
Thursday, February 1, 2001 19:51 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident pilot was conducting a night intercept training mission with a Coast Guard airplane. The accident pilot stated that it was getting a bit hazy and informed the Coast Guard pilot that he would be breaking off and turning to the north to get separation for another intercept. The Coast Guard airplane accelerated and asked the accident pilot to proceed north at a slower airspeed to allow separation. The accident pilot responded I'm IMC maintaining 180 degrees. The Coast Guard pilot informed the accident pilot that they were well to the north and there was no conflict. There was no other radio communication with the accident pilot. Review of radar data revealed that the accident airplane continued south bound at 1,600 feet before making a slight left turn followed by a turn back to the right at 00:48:08. The airplane made another turn to the left and back to the right. AT 00:49:47, the airplane is observed to start a left turn, and stops on a north heading at 1,500 feet. At 00:50:47, the airplane is observed to start a right turn. The last recorded radar hit is at 00:51:08, at 1,500 feet. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly and accessories , vacuum pump and flight instruments revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Review of the pilot's log book revealed the pilot was awarded an instrument rating on December 23, 2000, and had flown two flights consisting of .8 since obtaining the instrument rating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot-in-command's lack of recent experience in instrument flight resulting in the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, and subsequent in-flight collision with water while descending.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/1/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1951 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Marathon |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33050 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 245408N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0805605W |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 212 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 9 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 637 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10706 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA COMM CNTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 2 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 815 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 9 2001 3:21PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Miami FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N99WD |
| NTSB Number | MIA01GA070 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-7540031 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 7 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 338 |
| Airframe Hours | 3648 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aerolease of America Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2533 North Carson Street, Suite 4468 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Carson City |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 8997060 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Casey A. Purvis |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | PO Box 5466 |
| Operator City | Lake Worth |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33466 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | OPF |
| Departure City | Opa Locka |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1830 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 6 2001 2:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PREJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |