Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Pensacola Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pensacola, Florida 32501
Wednesday, February 11, 2004 22:16 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The non-instrument rated solo private pilot filed an IFR cross-country flight plan for a flight along coastal terrain. While en route, the pilot contacted the terminal radar approach control (TRACON) specialist on duty and requested that his IFR flight plan be amended in order to make an unplanned fuel stop. The accident airplane was given priority handling over other arriving aircraft, and was cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach. A review of air-to-ground communications tapes, transcripts, and archived radar data, revealed that the accident pilot was unable to intercept the glide slope and localizer for the ILS approach to runway 17, or to maintain an assigned altitude or heading. The TRACON specialist was attempting to sequence the pilot for a third attempt to the ILS approach for runway 17, when the pilot stated, in part, "I can't, I can't...I've lost it...." No further radio contact was received from the accident airplane, and the airplane disappeared from the TRACON specialist's radar screen. Search crews located the wreckage about 14 miles north-northwest of the airport, in an area of swampy, tree-covered terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were discovered during the investigation. At the time of the accident the reported weather was, in part: Wind, 090 degrees (true) at 10 knots; visibility, 3/4 statute miles with mist; clouds and sky condition, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 55 degrees F; dew point, 55 degrees F; altimeter, 29.98 inHg.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to conduct flight that exceeded his demonstrated skills/ability. Also causal was his failure to properly execute the instrument approach. Contributing factors were low ceiling, fog, and the pilot's lack of the appropriate certification for the flight.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/11/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 2216 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Pensacola |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32501 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | -- |
| Event Location Latitude | 303802N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0872205W |
| Event Location Airport | Pensacola Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PNS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 14 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 310 |
| Airport Elevation | 121 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2153 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 130 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PNS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 121 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 100 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.75 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| 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) | 17649 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Atlanta FAA, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 12 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 345 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Alabama Flight Standards District Office |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N8389D |
| NTSB Number | ANC04FA021 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | J35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-5530 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 9 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 12.7 |
| Airframe Hours | 4121.3 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | James F. Fletcher & William T. Dyer |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1362 ANA MARIA CIRCLE |
| Aircraft Owner City | PORT ORANGE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32129 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 34J |
| Departure City | NEW SMYRNA BA |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1920 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MSY |
| Destination City | NEW ORLEANS |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Missed approach (IFR) |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 6 2005 2:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PETL |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 7004 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |