Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Agricultural Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Molino, Florida 32577
Friday, February 1, 2002 16:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to witnesses, the powered glider was observed making a low pass down runway 36 of a private, sod agricultural airstrip. The aircraft next entered a left downwind leg for an approach and landing to the runway. While on final approach, the powered glider's undercarriage collided with static wires strung between two power transmission line towers, and the aircraft impacted the ground. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot suffered fatal injuries. It is likely that the pilot was under continuing treatment for his bipolar disorder and sleep disorder at the time of his accident and may have been on two different antidepressants. Mirtazapine is substantially sedating, and interferes with certain skilled performance tasks. In addition, mirtazapine and fluoxetine may interact to cause severe restlessness, confusion, incoordination, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance, resulting in the in-flight collision with a static wire and an uncontrolled descent and collision with the ground. A factor in the accident was the pilot's impairment resulting from the use of unapproved medication.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/1/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Molino |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32577 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 304300N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0872300W |
| Event Location Airport | private agricultural field |
| 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 | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 200 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 153 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PNS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 121 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.2 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12476 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Ctr-SE |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 1 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2009 |
| 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 | Birmingham |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N140V |
| NTSB Number | MIA02LA058 |
| 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 | Harleman |
| Aircraft Model | Tornado II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D99220JCOHK0342 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 20 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 44 |
| Airframe Hours | 44 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joseph Harleman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 207 Topeka Rd. |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pensacola |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32514 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 83J |
| Departure City | Beulah |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1610 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Molino |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach - VFR pattern - final approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 16 2002 12:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 2000 |
| Runway Width | 80 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |