Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Merritt Island Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Merritt Island, Florida 32952
Tuesady, October 22, 2002 15:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
N5247A crashed about 0.5 NM southeast of Merritt Island Airport, Cocoa, Florida, shortly after takeoff. The airline transport-rated pilot received fatal injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. Witnesses stated that on the afternoon of the accident, they observed the pilot enter the accident airplane and while starting the No. 2 engine, they described it as "missing, sputtering, and back firing." During the takeoff roll and the initial climb, the engine continued to make the noises the witnesses described and as the airplane was climbing out, when at an altitude of about 50 to 75 feet, witnesses also noted that the No. 2 engine's propeller had ceased rotating and that the airplane was being banked toward the No. 2 engine. the witnesses noted that the throughout the initial climb the pitch attitude remained nose high, and the pitch was not reduced, even after the right side propeller had ceased rotating. They stated that they watched as the nose high turn continued to the right, and saw the aircraft descend, disappearing behind the trees, followed by the sound of an engine racing momentarily, followed by the sound of the impact with the ground. Examination of the engines, airframe and flight controls did not reveal any preaccident anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to take off with a known equipment deficiency, and his failure to maintain airspeed (VMC) following a loss of engine power to one of the airplane's two engines for undetermined reasons, which resulted in descent and an impact with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/22/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Merritt Island |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32952 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 292030N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0804108W |
| Event Location Airport | Merritt Island |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | COI |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 135 |
| Airport Elevation | 7 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1550 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TIX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 34 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 10000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1500 |
| 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) | 17600 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ATL Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 22 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1740 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 28 2005 2:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5247A |
| NTSB Number | MIA03FA005 |
| 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 | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 310 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 35447 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4600 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 11 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 30 |
| Airframe Hours | 3868 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Johnny Lee Whitford |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1629 Rosetine Street |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cocoa |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32926 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | COI |
| Departure City | Cocoa |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1529 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OBE |
| Destination City | Okeechobee |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | Yes |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 11 |
| Runway Length | 3601 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |