Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Pompano Beach Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Coral Springs, Florida 33065
Thursday, June 16, 2005 18:42 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that, at approximately 1725, he was two miles northwest of the airship's base at Pompano Beach Airpark when the isolated showers in the area "appeared to be strengthening." The pilot intended to land as soon as possible, then he saw lightning in the area and decided he did not want to expose the ground crew to the risk of a lightning strike. The pilot decided to fly the airship out of the area to wait for the storms to pass. The airship was equipped with a weather radar system that was capable of scanning an approximate 45-degree arc, and the pilot maintained radio communication with the chief pilot at the base, who monitored area weather radar and provided updates. The pilot stated the weather deteriorated rapidly, and the airship encountered "heavy rain, lightning, and severe outflow and downdrafts." The pilot stated the airship became "unable to climb, make headway, or maintain directional control," and at one point the airship was "being pushed backward and down at full-power climb." The pilot's efforts to regain full control of the airship were unsuccessful, and the airship struck trees, power lines, and the ground. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction of the airship. A review of recorded weather data for Pompano Beach Airpark revealed at 1845 observations included a thunderstorm, heavy rain, and lightning distant all quadrants. A review of weather forecast data revealed Convective SIGMET 26E was issued at 1755 for an area that included the accident site and was valid until 1855. The Convective SIGMET included the following: Developing area of thunderstorms moving little, tops above FL [flight level] 450. A Miami Center Weather Advisory (ZMA CWA) was valid from 1735 until 1935 for an area that included the accident site. The CWA included the following information: An area of widely scattered level 4 and level 5 thunderstorms with moderate rain moving little, maximum tops to near FL 450, coverage increasing slightly through 1935. A review of the published FAA Approved Flight Limitations for the GZ-20A revealed the airship was certificated for operation in "extremely turbulent air: 20-30 ft/sec gust."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which resulted in an in-flight encounter with weather (thunderstorm outflow), and downdrafts, loss of control and subsequent collision with trees and transmission wires.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/16/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1842 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Coral Springs |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33065 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 261640N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801717W |
| Event Location Airport | Pompano Beach Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KPMP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 9.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 19 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 25 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 135 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 50 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 60 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | -- |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 18185 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1A |
| NTSB Number | ATL05CA100 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Goodyear |
| Aircraft Model | GZ-20A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4116 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 12333 |
| Aircraft Category | Blimp |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 32101.7 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1144 E Market St |
| Aircraft Owner City | Akron |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44316 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Goodyear Airship Operations |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1500 NE 5th Ave |
| Operator City | Pompano Beach |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33060 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KPMP |
| Departure City | Pompano Beach |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1530 |
| 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 | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 6 2005 3:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| 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 | -- |