Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Melbourne International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Melbourne, Florida 32901
Tuesady, May 22, 2012 22:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot of N602FT reported that, while holding short of the runway waiting for departure, he noticed another airplane stop behind his airplane. A few seconds later, the airplane was struck from behind by N47749. N602FT’s position, landing, and strobe lights were illuminated when the accident occurred.
The pilot of N47749 reported that he was number three for departure behind N602FT. While the pilot was looking at the tachometer, the airplane slowly moved forward, struck N602FT, and severed the outer 2 feet of the left outboard portion of N602FT’s horizontal stabilator. The pilot realized after the collision that he had not set the parking brake. He thought that his feet were on the brake pedals but that he did not put “much pressure” on them before the crash. Postaccident examination of N47749’s brake system did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation. When actuated, both the toe brakes and the parking brake were functional.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to set the parking brake and to maintain a proper visual lookout, which resulted in an on-ground collision with another airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/22/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 2200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Melbourne |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32901 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | -- |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| Event Location Latitude | 280609N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803842W |
| Event Location Airport | Melbourne International |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MLB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 250 |
| Airport Elevation | 33 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2127 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 70 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MLB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 33 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32606 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 10 2014 3:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N47749 | N602FT |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA355A | ERA12LA355B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Minor | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | PIPER | PIPER |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-161 | PA-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7816131 | 2841196 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2325 | 2325 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 30 2012 12:00AM | May 21 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7174 | 17077 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C126 | C126 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BE AVIATION SERVICES LLC | F I T AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | MELBOURNE | MELBOURNE |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32904 | 32901-1832 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | FIT Aviation LLC | F I T AVIATION LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- | -- |
| Operator City | Melbourne | MELBOURNE |
| Operator State | FL | FL |
| Operator Country | USA | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32901 | 32901-1832 |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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) | Instructional | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MLB | MLB |
| Departure City | Melbourne | Melbourne |
| Departure State | FL | FL |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | -- | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MLB | OCF |
| Destination City | Melbourne | Ocala |
| Destination State | FL | FL |
| Destination Country | USA | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 10 2014 3:40PM | Apr 10 2014 3:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09R | 09R |
| Runway Length | 10181 | 10181 |
| Runway Width | 150 | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |