Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Weston, Florida 33327
Friday, December 31, 2004 20:05 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness who was driving a car westbound on Interstate 75, stated that he observed the lights of an airplane in the night sky, and noted that the airplane descended at a steep descent angle, while proceeding from north to south, and it disappeared below his horizon. The witness further stated at that time it was raining intensely, was very windy, and the visibility had been greatly reduced. Emergency personnel responded, and the wreckage was found in about 3 feet of swamp water and sawgrass. At 1958:28, the pilot communicated with the Fort Lauderdale North Departure Controller, stating, "flight express one zero six level three thousand golf at Opa Locka." At 1957:28, the controller responded, "flight express one oh six fly heading one ah nine zero vectors for Opa Locka." At 1957:32, the pilot acknowledged, saying, "one nine zero degrees express one zero six." At 1959:33, the controller stated "flight express oh one zero six descend and maintain two thousand", and the pilot responded " down to two thousand flight express one oh six." At 2001:15, the controller stated " flight express one zero six contact Miami approach on one two five point five", and at 2001:19, the pilot responded, "twenty five five flight express one oh six." At 2001:51, the pilot stated, "Miami approach flight express one zero six level two thousand", and at 2001:56, the Miami South Departure Radar Controller responded, "flight express one oh six Miami approach good evening." At 2005:27, the controller stated "flight express one oh six Miami, and there was no response. Subsequent attempts by the controller to communicate with the flight yielded negative results. Radar data showed that after receiving instructions to descend and maintain 2000 feet, the pilot maintained 2,000 feet for about 9 seconds. The data then showed the airplane at an altitude of 1,900 feet for about 2 minutes and 25 seconds, after which the data showed the airplane to be in a gradual descent. At 2005:15 the last reliable radar data showed the airplane at 800 feet. The radar data also showed the pilot to be on a near steady southerly heading during the flight leg. The debris field was about 100 yards long, oriented on a southerly direction, and the sawgrass had been slashed consistent with a descent to the northern-most impact point. After recovery from the swamp, postcrash examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine did not reveal any preaccident anomalies. A weather study conducted by the NTSB showed that at about the time of the accident, cloud bases were near 1,600 feet, and cloud tops were above 7,000 feet, with higher clouds above. The flight visibility was 0 miles in clouds and about 10 miles below the lowest cloud base. Conditions were also determined to be conducive to light turbulence below 5,000 feet, and the weather radar displayed echoes consistent with light rain being present.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain his assigned altitude, and allowed the airplane to descend for undetermined reasons resulting in an in-flight collision with terrain. Factors in the accident were clouds, rain, and the dark night.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/31/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2005
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Weston
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33327
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 260812N
Event Location Longitude 0803142W
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 20
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 109 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID FLL
Elevation of weather observation facility 13
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
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) 20754
NTSB Notification Source FAA ATL Comm. Center
NTSB Notification Date Dec 31 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
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 N6195N
NTSB Number MIA05FA044
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 210N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21062966
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1.5
Airframe Hours 15399.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Flight Express, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3614 E. Amelia St.
Aircraft Owner City Orlando
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32803
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 FPIA
Owner has at least one certificate --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ORL
Departure City Orlando
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OPF
Destination City Opa Locka
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 5 2006 3:27PM
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 --