Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Caribbean Sea
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 19:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The instrument rated pilot departed VFR approximately 1 minute after the end of civil twilight, and approximately 9 minutes after departure, the pilot contacted San Juan CERAP and requested flight following to the destination airport. The controller advised the pilot to resume own navigation, and approximately 12 minutes after takeoff, the pilot advised the controller, "San Juan Approach ah, 5033Y ah I'm kinda lost ah I lost my bearing out here I need direct." The controller provided a heading of 140 degrees, which the pilot acknowledged; however, the recorded radar data indicates the airplane flew a south-southwesterly heading for approximately 2 minutes 21 seconds, and the flight descended to 1,600 feet. The remainder of the recorded radar data indicates that the heading and altitude changed numerous times, with the lowest recorded altitude being 300 feet. The controller then attempted to have the pilot proceed to the departure airport, but he did not acknowledge the transmission from the controller. The last recorded radar target indicated the airplane was at 2,000 feet, and was located at 17 degrees 57 minutes 41 seconds North latitude and 064 degrees 59 minutes 04 seconds West longitude. A search for the occupants and wreckage was performed by the U.S. Coast Guard; no debris or bodies was ever recovered. Level 1-4 showers had occurred over the Caribbean Sea between the departure and destination airports during the hour prior to departure, but there was no significant echoes along the airplane's flight route while airborne. Additionally, low-level clouds resulting from the previous precipitation was probably in the area.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane. A contributing factor in the accident was the spatial disorientation of the pilot, resulting in the in-flight loss of control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/10/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Caribbean Sea |
| Event State | -- |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | -- |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 180200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0655400W |
| 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 | 1953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TISX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 74 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| 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) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22815 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 10 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2007 6:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5033Y |
| NTSB Number | MIA06LA106 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | Y |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | -- |
| Aircraft Explosion | -- |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-23-250 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 27-2039 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4800 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3313 |
| ELT Installed | -- |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Victor A. Tuitt |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. Box 8108 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Christiansted |
| Aircraft Owner State | VI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 00823 |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | TIST |
| Departure City | St. Thomas |
| Departure State | VI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1908 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | TISX |
| Destination City | St. Croix |
| Destination State | VI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Unknown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 7 2007 1:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |