Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ft Pierce, Florida 34945
Monday, June 20, 2005 11:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight departed Treasure Cay International Airport, Abaco Island, Bahamas en route to Ft. Pierce, Florida. The pilot contacted the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMA) after departure from the Treasure Cay airport, and requested IFR clearance to Fort Pierce, Florida. The ZMA controller radar identified the airplane and issued clearance to Fort Pierce via direct Freeport, direct Fort Pierce, at 10,000 feet. The airplane traveled west along Grand Bahamas Island until reaching Freeport, and then turned northwest toward Fort Pierce. During interviews with air traffic controllers it was revealed that during the period that the airplane was on frequency broadcast SIGMET information relevant to the airplane's route of flight was transmitted. However both controllers stated that they observed precipitation return in the vicinity of the airplane's route, but they never advised the pilot of those observations. Radar data shows the airplane passing through an area of intense weather radar echoes containing thunderstorms with intense rain, up and downdrafts, at least moderate turbulence, horizontal wind gusts, and IMC conditions. The FAA order 7110.65, "Air Traffic Control," paragraph 2-6-4, "Weather and Chaf Services, " States: 2. Issue the level of echo intensity when that information is available.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's continued flight into known thunderstorm activity that resulted in the loss of control and the subsequent collision with water. A factor was the controller's failure to provide the pilot with convective intensity.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/20/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1110 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ft Pierce |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34945 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 270300N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0793500W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FPR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 24 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 60 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| 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) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| 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) | 30.01 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18883 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Com Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 20 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 31 2006 7:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Orlando FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6886Y |
| NTSB Number | ATL05FAMS1 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-4236 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5200 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 6766.2 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Joseph Arnold Helseth |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 366 32nd Ave SW |
| Aircraft Owner City | Vero Beach |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32968 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MYAT |
| Departure City | Abaco Island |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | BF |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FPR |
| Destination City | Ft. Pierce |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 7 2005 3:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |