Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tallahassee, Florida 32311
Saturday, December 8, 2007 17:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot, age 85, was attempting to land a Piper PA-22-150 at his private airstrip. While on final approach for the 1,500-foot-long turf strip, the airplane contacted trees, then utility wires, and came to rest upright. The reported weather about the time of the accident included calm winds, a broken ceiling at 9,000 feet, and visibility 10 miles. The pilot reported a total flight experience of 2,319 hours; of which, most was in the same make and model as the accident airplane. In addition, the pilot flew the accident airplane about 17 hours during the 90-day period preceding the accident. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, nor did the pilot report any.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's misjudged clearance over obstacles during final approach.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Tallahassee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32311
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 303004N
Event Location Longitude 0840449W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
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 1753 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID TLH
Elevation of weather observation facility 81
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22941
NTSB Notification Source FAA SROC
NTSB Notification Date Dec 8 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando, FL

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5921D
NTSB Number NYC08CA055
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-4583
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 3861
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Willis O Forman
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tallahassee
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32311
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 2J9
Departure City Quincy
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1710
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Tallahassee
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 29 2007 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --