Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309
Friday, April 30, 2004 14:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the show announcer, the pilot performed the corkscrew maneuver that contained 56 consecutive snap rolls. He then climbed to an approximate altitude of 5000 feet and informed the announcer that he was going to conduct a flat spin maneuver. According to the announcer the number rotations the pilot conducted seemed to exceed the normal amount the pilot had conducted in the past. The spin maneuver continued until the airplane collided with the water. No evidence of mechanical, flight controls or control surfaces anomalies were discovered during the post-accident examination of the airplane wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to recover from an intentional spin during an attempted aerobatic maneuver.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/30/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fort Lauderdale
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33309
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 260850N
Event Location Longitude 0800531W
Event Location Airport FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FXE
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 90
Airport Elevation 13
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1427 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID FXE
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
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) 17391
NTSB Notification Source FAA Communication Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Ft. Lauderdale FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N31SU
NTSB Number ATL04LA104
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 Sukhoi
Aircraft Model SU-31
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 01-02
Certified Max Gross Weight 1495
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Mar 30 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1009
Airframe Hours 1009
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ian Groom
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 Silverside Rd. Ste 105
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
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 FXE
Departure City FORT LAUDERDALE
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? No
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 NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --