Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Daytona Beach, Florida 32128
Monday, September 3, 2001 17:01 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While descending, and at an altitude of about 900 feet msl, in preparation for entry into the traffic pattern at the airport, the pilot reported, "..…the aircraft commenced an abrupt, uncommanded roll to the right." She regained level flight by applying full left aileron and full left rudder, however the airplane remained in a right wing low attitude and in a gradual right turn. The pilot stated that she "..…realized that directional control was compromised," and due to the high density of housing in the area of the airport, she elected to attempt a force landing in a cow pasture. After landing, the airplane impacted a drainage ditch. Examination of the airplane's fuel system after the accident revealed that the fuel tanks were not breached, the left fuel tank was full of fuel, and no fuel was found in the right fuel tank. The fuel selector handle was found positioned on the "right tank." About 1 ounce of fuel was drained from the forward fuel filter, and about 1/3 of a pint of fuel was drained from the aft fuel filter. Examination of the flight controls revealed that they operated normally and were found to be in serviceable condition. Examination of the propeller revealed that one propeller blade was bent aft 30 degrees and scratched, the other blade was straight and clean.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
a total loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper procedures by not placing the fuel selector on the tank with the most fuel, after a reported restricted movement of the flight controls for undetermined reasons, which resulted in fuel starvation and a forced landing in a pasture.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/3/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1701 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Daytona Beach |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32128 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 290448N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0810248W |
| Event Location Airport | Spruce Creek |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7FL6 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 270 |
| Airport Elevation | 24 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1652 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DAB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 35 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 80 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1914 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 11872 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA SE Reg Com Ctr |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 3 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1730 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 18 2002 10:15AM |
| 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 | N3516Z |
| NTSB Number | MIA01LA226 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-22-160 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 22-7413 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2000 |
| 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 | Jun 6 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7.2 |
| Airframe Hours | 3274.98 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Edward W. Vitullo |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 71 Lazy Eight Dr. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Daytona Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32124 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Dolores A. Vitullo |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | VDF |
| Departure City | Tampa |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1555 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 7FL6 |
| Destination City | Spruce Creek |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2002 3:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |