Aero Acres Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Pierce, Florida 34987
Thursday, May 6, 2004 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that while on very short final he encountered a sudden downdraft, which drove the airplane downward, resulting in a hard landing short of the beginning of the runway. He stated that as a result of the impact the airplane incurred substantial damage, and added that prior to the accident, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane, or any of its systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots failure to maintain the proper glide path during the approach which resulted in the airplane undershooting the runway and not attaining the proper touchdown point.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/6/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fort Pierce
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34987
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 272031N
Event Location Longitude 0803119W
Event Location Airport Aero Acres Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FD88
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID FPR
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.22
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15946
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date May 6 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1420
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 29 2004 7:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N87AD
NTSB Number MIA04CA080
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 Beech
Aircraft Model H35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-4943
Certified Max Gross Weight 2910
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 Aug 24 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 86
Airframe Hours 5357.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Soar BC Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 18707 Tranquility Base Ln
Aircraft Owner City Fort Pierce
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34987
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Tim Sullivan
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 644 N.E. Muskrat Road
Operator City Port St. Lucie
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 34983
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 FD88
Departure City Fort Pierce
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code FD88
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 310
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --