Tavernaero Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tavernier, Florida 33036
Sunday, March 30, 2003 6:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll a dog appeared in front of the airplane, and the next thing he remembered was that the airplane banked left and collided with trees lining the left side of the runway. The pilot-rated passenger/owner of the airplane said that when he saw an animal appear in front of the airplane during the takeoff roll, in an attempt to avoid a collision with the animal he intervened and applied back pressure to the control column to get the airplane airborne. He said he remembered the airplane veering to the left, and he tried to apply right rudder and pushed the control column forward in an attempt to keep the airplane in ground effect. Both the pilot and passenger/owner stated that prior to the accident there had been no mechanical failure or malfunction to the airplane or any of its systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The control interference by the pilot-rated passenger in an attempt to avoid an obstacle, which resulted in a loss of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 615
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Tavernier
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33036
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 250031N
Event Location Longitude 0803159W
Event Location Airport Tavernaero
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 72X
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 655 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID HST
Elevation of weather observation facility 7
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 1
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
Density Altitude (feet) 400
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13507
NTSB Notification Source Monroe County Sheriff's Deputy
NTSB Notification Date Mar 30 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 647
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2003 9:51AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4315S
NTSB Number MIA03LA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E685
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 19 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 120
Airframe Hours 5398
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gary J. Larocco
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8203 Huntley Road
Aircraft Owner City Crystal Lake
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60014
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 72X
Departure City Tavernier
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 615
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WDR
Destination City Atlanta
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2003 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 090
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 110
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --