20000210004139I

Incident

FAA incident report · Piper PA-23-250 · Key West, FL · February 10, 2000

Date: February 10, 2000 · 13:57 local
Place: Key West, FL
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft: N33FD
Reported as: Piper PA23250
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,100 total50 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N33FDRegistration cancelled Aug 30, 2012 · Piper PA-23-250S/N 27-7305034 · Built 1973 Airframe modelPiper PA-23-250 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Flight departed to search for missing boat with friends onboard. Flight arrived on the marquesas key area to commence search. Flight operated at an altitude of 800-1500 feet MSL during search. PIC advised ATC of his operation. PIC was fully aware of R-2916 and had a VFR chart attached to his knee for navigation purpose. After beginning the seach, the PIC became more involed with looking for the boat than remaining aware of his current position. The PIC inadvertantly penetrated R-2916 while looking for the missing boat. The PIC realized his error when he saw antennaes on the ground R-2916 and excuted a 180 degree turn to exit the restricted area.

As the FAA filed it

FLIGHT DEPARTED TO SEARCH FOR MISSING BOAT WITH FRIENDS ONBOARD. FLIGHT ARRIVED ON THE MARQUESAS KEY AREA TO COMMENCE SEARCH. FLIGHT OPERATED AT AN ALTITUDE OF 800-1500 FEET MSL DURING SEARCH. PIC ADVISED ATC OF HIS OPERATION. PIC WAS FULLY AWARE OF R-2916 AND HAD A VFR CHART ATTACHED TO HIS KNEE FOR NAVIGATION PURPOSE. AFTER BEGINNING THE SEACH, THE PIC BECAME MORE INVOLED WITH LOOKING FOR THE BOAT THAN REMAINING AWARE OF HIS CURRENT POSITION. THE PIC INADVERTANTLY PENETRATED R-2916 WHILE LOOKING FOR THE MISSING BOAT. THE PIC REALIZED HIS ERROR WHEN HE SAW ANTENNAES ON THE GROUND R-2916 AND EXCUTED A 180 DEGREE TURN TO EXIT THE RESTRICTED AREA.