Peter Prince Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Milton, Florida 32583
Thursday, September 23, 2004 10:06 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a checkout flight by a certified flight instructor (CFI) with the operator in the accident airplane the day before, an excessive (200 rpm) decrease was noted when checking the right magneto. Maintenance cleaned the spark plugs, performed an engine run-up, and returned the airplane to service. The pilot passed the check out flight and was provided the airplane. The CFI reportedly advised the pilot that if there was any maintenance problem to have the airplane worked on and the maintenance cost would be deducted. The day before the accident the pilot flew the airplane to Milton, Florida, and landed uneventfully where the airplane remained overnight. No maintenance was performed or requested, and no fuel was purchased. The pilot and three passengers boarded the airplane for a local flight and three witnesses, one of whom is an A & P mechanic, reported hearing the pilot having trouble starting the engine. The engine ran rough after starting, and the airplane was taxied to the approach end of runway 36 where the pilot performed an engine run-up. Several witnesses including the A & P mechanic reported hearing a discrepancy during the magneto check. The pilot was heard increasing the engine rpm while at the engine run-up area. During the takeoff roll one witness reported that the engine was, "making sounds as if it was not developing power." Several witnesses noted the airplane did not become airborne until approximately 3/4 down the 3,700 foot-long runway, or approximately 2,828 feet down the runway. Conservative takeoff distances for ground roll and distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle per the airplane "Information Manual" were 910 and 1,745 feet, respectively. The airplane began climbing to an estimated height of 100 feet, and the landing gear was noted to retract. One witness reported the airplane flew over her position and the engine was heard to be running rough. A pilot who was flying in the area at the time observed the airplane turn onto the downwind leg, stall, then pitch straight down. The airplane crashed in the side yard of a residence located approximately .30 nautical mile and 303 degrees from the departure end of runway 36. Examination of the flight controls and power section of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The ignition harness was impact damaged which precluded testing. Examination of the heat damaged magneto revealed the left capacitor was shorted to ground consistent with heat damage, while the right capacitor was functional. Heat damaged components were replaced, the magneto was placed on a test bench and operated with no discrepancies noted. Examination of the impact and heat damaged carburetor revealed the accelerator pump piston seal was badly worn exposing most of the sealing spring; the worn seal would reportedly not result in increased fuel flow. The as found setting of the economizer would result in a leaner fuel/air ratio. Rust was noted in the drain cavity below the float bowl, on the inner portion of the carburetor bowl drain plug, and a small amount of debris was noted in the main bowl chamber. Documents provided by the operator indicate a discrepancy related to excessive rpm decrease during a magneto check on August 27, 2004. The spark plugs were removed, cleaned, rotated, and reinstalled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilots operation of the airplane with known deficiencies in the equipment based on witness statements describing an excessive rpm drop and rough running engine after starting, during the engine run-up, and after becoming airborne, his failure to abort the takeoff after an excessive takeoff roll, and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with terrain. A factor in the accident was the loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/23/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1006
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Milton
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32583
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303843N
Event Location Longitude 0865955W
Event Location Airport Peter Prince Field Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2R4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.61
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 82
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 953 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID KPNS
Elevation of weather observation facility 121
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19767
NTSB Notification Source Pensacola ATCT
NTSB Notification Date Sep 23 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 30 2006 1:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Birmingham, Alabama

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5157T
NTSB Number MIA04FA128
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model R182
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number R18201826
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40.3
Airframe Hours 3190.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PropCo, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 204 Rochester Road
Aircraft Owner City Mobile
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36608
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MC Aviation, Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. Box 850453
Operator City Mobile
Operator State AL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 36685
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 2R4
Departure City Milton
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1001
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2R4
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 16 2006 10:59AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --