Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
N. Lauderdale, Florida 33068
Saturday, April 10, 2004 9:59 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported no discrepancies either during the preflight inspection or during the engine run-up before takeoff. He obtained his IFR clearance, and shortly after takeoff the flight encountered IMC at 400 feet MSL. While climbing, the vertical speed indicator suddenly decreased to 0, then increased to 2,000 FPM, then went back to 0. Moments later the altimeter began bouncing with very large deflections, then the attitude indicator did not agree with the turn coordinator. He did not activate the alternate static source as per the pilot's operating handbook, and advised the controller that he was "losing gauges" and he would be unable to execute an instrument landing system approach to the departure airport. He activated the cirrus airframe parachute system (CAPS), and the airplane descended into trees. The pilot indicated he had 105 hours actual instrument flight time. Following recovery, the pilot's attitude indicator (AI) and turn coordinator (TC) powered up normally when battery No. 2 was switched on. Approximately 1 teaspoon of water was found between the static port openings and the alternate static air valve in the static lines. Testing of the water sample revealed it contained 3.2 mg/L of fluoride, which is common in tap water. The airplane's static system was tested to 1,000 feet, and the flight instruments were found to operate erratic. The vertical speed indicator fluctuated between 500 and 2,000 feet per minute, the altimeter indicated 200 feet, the airspeed indicated 60 knots (KTS), and the instruments did not return to zero when the pressure was returned to sea-level. When pressurizing the pitot line to 100 KTS the airspeed was found to be "sticky" and was "leaking" approximately 5 KTS per minute. Testing of the pitot static system from the alternate air source revealed no discrepancies. Bench testing of the attitude indicator and turn coordinator, revealed no discrepancies. Damage to the master control unit (MCU) occurred while trying to jump start the engine post-accident. No pilot reports (PIREP's) indicated any significant turbulence over Florida at the time of the accident. The engine was run on the airplane for approximately 10-15 minutes with no discrepancies noticed.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The erratic operation of the pitot-static system associated flight instruments due to water contamination, and the pilot's failure to take the appropriate corrective actions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/10/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 959 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | N. Lauderdale |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33068 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 261235N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801402W |
| 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 | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFXE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 14 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 600 |
| 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) | 2.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 270 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18135 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 10 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1012 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N916LJ |
| NTSB Number | MIA04LA070 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cirrus Design Corp. |
| Aircraft Model | SR22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 0080 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 70.3 |
| Airframe Hours | 516.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cellventures of NY, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1601 Penfield Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rochester |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 14625 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Jeffrey M. Ippoliti |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 823 Spring Park Loop |
| Operator City | Celebration |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 34747 |
| 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 | KFXE |
| Departure City | Fort Lauderdale |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 954 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KPBI |
| Destination City | West Palm Beach |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 1 2005 9:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |