Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Missing, -- 00000
Friday, September 6, 2002

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The agricultural airplane was converted by an unknown person to supply fuel from the 38 cubic foot hopper tank, to the right fuel tank. Additionally, the pilot reportedly carried a fully charged 12-volt battery and an electrically operated artificial horizon with him on the accident flight as the agricultural airplane did not have an artificial horizon installed. The day before the accident, the pilot fueled the hopper tank, and a lineservice person filled both wing fuel tanks. There was no record that the pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing either through an FAA Automated Flight Service Station, or through the DUAT vendors. The flight departed at 0727, and after takeoff air traffic control communications were transferred from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Air Traffic Control Tower to the Fort Lauderdale International Air Traffic Control (ATC) Tower. The flight remained in contact with that facility from 0731:00 to 0732:10. The next recorded air traffic control communications occurred at 0852:30, when the pilot contacted Nassau Approach Control advising that the flight was at 1,500 feet and 40 miles northwest of Nassau, en route from Fort Lauderdale, to St. Croix. The controller provided the pilot a discrete transponder code, then radar identified the flight advising the pilot that the flight was 35 miles west of Nassau. The pilot then advised the controller that he would be maintaining 1,500 feet, to which the controller advised the flight would not be able to proceed overhead due to the altitude flown, and provided a heading to fly until the flight was abeam Nassau. After that time, the pilot could proceed on-course. At 0928:03, the controller advised the pilot of the altitude and location of traffic, and to, "...resume normal navigation to your destination." The pilot acknowledged that comment and the controller terminated radar services at 0932:58. There were no further contacts reported with any ATC facilities along the route of flight. According to the controller who handled the communications with the accident pilot, the flight was vectored about 10 nautical miles southwest of Nassau for traffic and weather. The flight was then vectored approximately 20 miles to the southeast of Nassau, where radar services were terminated, the airplane was clear of traffic and weather, and the airplane was proceeding southeast bound. The Nassau radar data is not recorded; therefore, a radar plot is not available. Review of the chronological notes from the U.S. Coast Guard, revealed the Coast Guard (CG) was first notified of the missing airplane by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC), on September 8, 2002, at 1420. The CG initiated a communications search and also performed a track line search on September 12, 2002, from the last known position to Providenciales. The results were negative. According to the NTSB Weather Study, at the time of the last known position located approximately 20 nautical miles southeast of Nassau (0932), an infrared satellite image indicates a band of high clouds with embedded cumulonimbus clouds extending south of a line from Ft. Lauderdale, and Nassau, southeastward towards the Virgin Islands. The last known position was located on the leading edge of higher cloud cover with tops to 38,000 feet. Additionally, enhanced cloud developement with tops to 44,000 feet was noted at a point located 38 miles south of the last known position. According to the pilot's daughter, her father was ferrying the airplane for the new owner to Brazil. She reported that her father had on-board a GPS, a 4 man life raft, and a life jacket that he always wore. He also had a survival kit and a satellite cellular phone, which was tested the day before the accident. Her father has been ferrying airplanes to Brazil for approximately 7 years, and advised her that he would call her using his satellite phone when flying over Providenciales; she was not contacted by her father.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The falure of the pilot to arrive at the intended destination for undetermined reasons. A finding in the investigation was the fact that clouds with tops to 44,000 feet were noted 38 miles south of the airplane's last position.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/6/2002
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event --
Event Time Zone --
Event City Missing
Event State UNKNOWN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 15329
NTSB Notification Source Southern Region Ops Highlights
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2004 3:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office Miami International Field Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59684
NTSB Number MIA02FAMS3
Missing Aircraft Indicator Y
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-36-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 36-7760098
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Wright Bros. Aviation, Ltd.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5971 Hangar Road
Aircraft Owner City Mitchell
Aircraft Owner State SD
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 57301
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Jose B. Arruda
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6100 S. Falls Circle Drive, Apt. 208
Operator City Lauderhill
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33319
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KFXE
Departure City Fort Lauderdale
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 727
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TISX
Destination City St. Croix
Destination State VI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 3 2004 3:55PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --