Plam Beach County Glades Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pahokee, Florida 33476
Thursday, April 11, 2002 16:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, the fuel tank was filled with 100 low lead fuel before the takeoff. The pilot taxied to runway 10, and initiated a takeoff. During climbout, the pilot started a left climbing turn, and at approximately the same time, the engine lost power. The pilot further reported that engine RPM dropped to Idle. The pilot selected an emergency landing area and established an approach to land. The pilot reported that after the landing, the airplane burst into flames.The subsequent examination of the accident site disclosed that the airframe was badly fire damaged. The engine compartment was also fire damaged, and engine components damaged. According to the pilot, he had not experienced any previous mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power and the post-landing fire for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/11/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1617
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Pahokee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33476
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 264706N
Event Location Longitude 0804136W
Event Location Airport Plam Beach County Glades
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHK
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 --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1544 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PNS
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 14807
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 11 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:07AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Ft Lauderdale FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30660
NTSB Number ATL02LA078
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-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 5-230
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 28 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Glades AG Service INC.,
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16112 E. Grand National DR.
Aircraft Owner City Loxahatchee
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33470
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Sam G. Defazio
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16211 130th Ave
Operator City Jupiter
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33478
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Pahokee
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1615
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 7 2003 9:35AM
User who most recently changed record POWP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --