Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Placid Lakes Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lake Placid, Florida 33852
Friday, June 20, 2008 12:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot and a wildlife-research passenger departed in the pilot's airplane on a brief aerial observation flight with the purpose of locating a bear tracking collar. The airplane was observed by multiple witnesses in multiple locations to be flying at "very low" altitudes. Most of these observations occurred when the airplane flew over several lakes in the local area. The airplane returned to the origination airport for landing about 1/2 hour after its departure. Instead of flying a normal airport traffic pattern, the pilot flew along the runway in the direction opposite of his intended landing direction, at an altitude of approximately 100 feet above the ground. He then initiated a rapid pull-up and small radius turn to complete the landing. The airplane impacted airport property in a near-vertical attitude, approximately 900 feet from the approach threshold. Both occupants were fatally injured. With one exception, no evidence of any preimpact airframe mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The flap cable was found disconnected from the flap handle, but it could not be determined when or how this occurred. If the flaps were inoperative, the condition would not have resulted in any airplane control problems during normal flight operations, and a normal landing could have been accomplished. No evidence of any preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found that would have prevented the engine from developing power. Toxicological testing revealed that the pilot was taking a prescription antidepressant medication, but the medication would not have likely resulted in impairment. Several individuals stated that the non-standard landing maneuver was not unusual for the pilot. Digital images recovered from the passenger's camera revealed that during the accident flight the airplane was operated at low altitude above the surfaces of several lakes, and that on at least one occasion the airplane's tires were in contact with the surface of a lake.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s performance of a nonstandard abrupt maneuver at low altitude, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/20/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1210 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lake Placid |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33852 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 271444N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0812447W |
| Event Location Airport | Placid Lakes |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 09FA |
| 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 | 130 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1205 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | OBE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 30 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| 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) | 30.06 |
| 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) | 25552 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Local Authorities |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 20 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 25 2009 12:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | guzj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa, FL |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N988PC |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA221 |
| 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-18-150 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1809010 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 25 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 63 |
| Airframe Hours | 1223 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | 3/4 Time LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lake Placid |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33852 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | 3/4 Time LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Lake Placid |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33852 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 09FA |
| Departure City | Lake Placid |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1145 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 09FA |
| Destination City | Lake Placid |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 5 2009 1:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | muzd |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 36 |
| Runway Length | 4800 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |