Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Palm Bay, Florida 32909
Tuesady, April 2, 2002 8:26 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight departed from Pompano Beach Airpark and flew to Okeechobee County Airport where approximately 79 gallons of fuel were added to the fuel tanks; no reports of fuel problems were reported by pilots who were later contacted and whom had fueled from the same source either the day before, or the day of. The flight departed reportedly en route to Ormond Beach and after takeoff, climbed to a maximum altitude of 4,400 feet while flying on a northerly heading. The airplane remained on a northerly heading but began descending at an average rate of 200 feet per minute, with several times remaining at the previous altitude. The flight continued north and descended to 2,600 feet and began a right turn. Review of radar data indicates that between the last two radar targets, the airplane lost 1,000 feet of altitude in 12 seconds while turning to the right; the airplane at that time was on top of a layer of fog that extended up to 1,240 feet. A witness reported hearing the sound of an impact and drove to near the accident site but did not observe the wreckage; he did not notify law enforcement. The airplane impacted into a marsh resulting in destruction of the airplane which was located 2 days after the accident. The engines were located but could not be recovered. The fuselage and wings were fragmented. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of an in-flight break-up or of a fire. The stabilator trim was found full nose-down, but the cables were fractured. No autopilot system components were recovered. The autopsy report indicates the loss of most of the brain and heart.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons resulting in the in-flight collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/2/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 826 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Palm Bay |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32909 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 275406N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0804459W |
| 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 | 825 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 21 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KMLB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 33 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 13 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 240 |
| 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) | 30.03 |
| 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) | 12475 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 4 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1418 |
| 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 | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N91FK |
| NTSB Number | MIA02FA079 |
| 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-23-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-4311 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 1 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4712 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aquarius Group Ltd. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 701 E. Camino Real |
| Aircraft Owner City | Boca Raton |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33432 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | George J. Apostle |
| 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 | KOBE |
| Departure City | Okeechobee |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 810 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KOMN |
| Destination City | Ormond Beach |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 22 2002 1:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |