Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bunnell-Flagler County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Palm Coast, Florida 32136
Friday, March 16, 2001 15:10 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A witness, driving westbound, just east of the accident site, reported seeing the aircraft about 5 feet above the trees and heading south, southwest. According to the witness the airplane struck the trees on the east side of a four-lane road, then the median area between the south and northbound lanes. A post impact fire ensued. The pilot/passenger stated that on the downwind leg to runway 24, he observed the pilot-in-command/instructor "...turn the right engine fuel selector to the 'OFF' position," as they turned to "long final, very far from the runway." The flying pilot in the right front seat (second pilot), reduced power on the engines to start a descent, but did not realized he had an engine failure. The pilot/passenger further said, "...he could see the right engine fuel selector in the off position," and the airplane started to "lose" airspeed. He noted the stall warning light coming on, and he said, "...watch the speed...watch the speed." He heard the PIC say to the second pilot, "...he's right, watch the speed." After a few seconds they realized that the airplane was descending "faster" than it was supposed to and the PIC started to shout "Speed...Speed." The PIC took control of the airplane in an attempt to recover from the descent, but the airplane impacted the trees and road. Due to the degree of injury to all three occupants, none were able to talk with investigators; however, the PIC's wife revealed to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that her husband told her there were "...no mechanical problems with the airframe or engines." Examination of the wreckage confirmed that the right engine fuel selector was in the "OFF" position in the cockpit and at the wing selector valve. The right propeller was found in the "feathered" position. No visual pre-impact discrepancies were noted on the airframe, flight controls or engines. An FAA inspector stated that the FAA has determined that the pilot that was seated in the left front seat at the time of the accident was the pilot-in-command/instructor.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the second pilot's failure to maintain Vmc during a single engine approach resulting in a loss of control in flight and subsequent collision with objects and terrain during an uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the accident was the PIC turning the right engine fuel selector to the off position to simulate an engine failure, and the PIC's inadequate supervision of the second pilot.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/16/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1510 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | PALM COAST |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32136 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 292800N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0811204W |
| Event Location Airport | Bunnell-Flagler County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X47 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.9 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 60 |
| Airport Elevation | 32 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1456 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 35 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1358 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 3 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12536 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SE REG COM CTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 16 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1635 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 6 2002 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | ORLANDO FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N44589 |
| NTSB Number | MIA01FA102 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-34-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 34-7450213 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4200 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 18 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 74.8 |
| Airframe Hours | 13220.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PHILAIR FLIGHT CENTER INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1585 AVIATION CENTER PARKWAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | DAYTONA BEACH |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32114 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | DAB |
| Departure City | DATONA BEACH |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| 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 | Approach - VFR pattern - turn to base |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 30 2002 8:38AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 200 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |