Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Miami, Florida 33194
Saturday, February 9, 2013 10:20 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot/owner reported that he was flying eastbound with a passenger and was following two dirt roads, a set of power lines, and a canal that were all oriented east-west and parallel to one another. As the airplane flew along the canal, a "downdraft" or "rotor" caused a sudden loss of altitude, which placed the airplane directly in the flightpath of an intersecting (north/south) set of power lines that crossed the canal. The pilot attempted to fly under the power lines to avoid them but struck a tree on the canal's bank. The airplane then impacted the water and submerged, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Witnesses reported observing the airplane flying just above the canal, below the height of the parallel lines, when it descended further, struck the tree, then the water. The student pilot/owner reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's decision to fly at low altitude surrounded by tree, wire, and water hazards, and his failure to maintain clearance from those obstacles.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/9/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Miami
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33194
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 254525N
Event Location Longitude 0803323W
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 955 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID HST
Elevation of weather observation facility 6
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31280
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2013 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N662DA
NTSB Number ERA13CA130
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 DRATBE SHMIEL AMIR
Aircraft Model CLASSIC EDGE X
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 582-563
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category --
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 507
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIJARES JOHN A
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City MIRAMAR
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33027-3950
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MIJARES JOHN A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City MIRAMAR
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33027-3950
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code X51
Departure City Homestead
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Miami
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 14 2013 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --