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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

November 1, 1989 · Piper 601P · N50TR

Fort Myers, FL

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 1, 1989
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Location
Fort Myers, FL
Aircraft
Piper 601P
Tail Number
N50TR
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
MIA90FA022

THE ACFT DEPD MIAMI AT NGT ON AN ON-DEMAND, AIR TAXI FLT TO FT MYERS, FL. DURING ARRIVAL AT THE DESTN, THE FLT ENCTRD IFR CONDS. THE PLT OBTAINED CLNC FOR AN ILS RWY 6 APCH & WAS TOLD TO RPRT AT THE OUTER MARKER (OM). AT 0152:25 EST, HE RPRTD TO MIAMI CENTER THAT HE WAS OVER THE OM. THIS WAS HIS LAST TRANSMISSION TO AN ATC FACILITY. AT ABOUT 0203 EST, HE MADE A TRANSMISSION ON UNICOM FREQ TO INFORM ARPT OPNS PSNL THAT HE COULD NOT GET THE APCH LIGHTS TO OPERATE. HE WAS ASKED IF HE HAD USED THE PROPER FREQ & HAD KEYED THE MIKE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF TIMES. THE PLT INDCD THAT HE HAD PROPERLY KEYED THE MIKE; HOWEVER, UNICOM PSNL DID NOT HEAR ANY KEYING OF THE MIKE EXCEPT FOR 2 CLICKS. THE ACFT CTCD THE GND IN A NRLY LEVEL ATTITUDE & WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED, APRX 1.5 MI SHORT OF RWY 6. IT THEN SKIDDED ABOUT 90 FT & HIT A TREE BEFORE COMING TO REST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND WITH THE ACFT, ENG OR APCH/RWY LIGHTS. THE 0149 EST WX AT FT MYERS WAS IN PART: SKY OBSCURED, VIS 1/4 MI WITH FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY FOLLOW THE IFR PROCEDURE AND TO IDENTIFY THE DECISION HEIGHT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION WITHOUT THE APPROACH LIGHTS, AND TREE(S) IN THE ACCIDENT AREA.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT DEPD MIAMI AT NGT ON AN ON-DEMAND, AIR TAXI FLT TO FT MYERS, FL. DURING ARRIVAL AT THE DESTN, THE FLT ENCTRD IFR CONDS. THE PLT OBTAINED CLNC FOR AN ILS RWY 6 APCH & WAS TOLD TO RPRT AT THE OUTER MARKER (OM). AT 0152:25 EST, HE RPRTD TO MIAMI CENTER THAT HE WAS OVER THE OM. THIS WAS HIS LAST TRANSMISSION TO AN ATC FACILITY. AT ABOUT 0203 EST, HE MADE A TRANSMISSION ON UNICOM FREQ TO INFORM ARPT OPNS PSNL THAT HE COULD NOT GET THE APCH LIGHTS TO OPERATE. HE WAS ASKED IF HE HAD USED THE PROPER FREQ & HAD KEYED THE MIKE THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF TIMES. THE PLT INDCD THAT HE HAD PROPERLY KEYED THE MIKE; HOWEVER, UNICOM PSNL DID NOT HEAR ANY KEYING OF THE MIKE EXCEPT FOR 2 CLICKS. THE ACFT CTCD THE GND IN A NRLY LEVEL ATTITUDE & WITH THE GEAR EXTENDED, APRX 1.5 MI SHORT OF RWY 6. IT THEN SKIDDED ABOUT 90 FT & HIT A TREE BEFORE COMING TO REST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND WITH THE ACFT, ENG OR APCH/RWY LIGHTS. THE 0149 EST WX AT FT MYERS WAS IN PART: SKY OBSCURED, VIS 1/4 MI WITH FOG.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time02:05 EST
Nearest AirportSouthwest Florida Rgnl (2nm WSW)
Runway6
Runway Length8400 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper 601P
Tail NumberN50TR
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-S1A5 · Reciprocating · 290
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Fatal1
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 36 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind40° @ 6 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point66 F / 66 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time06:49
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data