# NTSB DEN93FA031: Smith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 600, N90399, Panama City, FL, March 3, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 3, 1993, 06:58 local (12:58 UTC)
- Place: Panama City, FL
- Coordinates: 30.20096, -85.670127 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2010&lon=-85.6701&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 28, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 18245
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN93FA031
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18245/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN93FA031

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final
  - planned approach - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command
- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final

## Analysis

THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CIRCLE TO A RIGHT DOWNWIND AND LAND ON RUNWAY 14. THE TOWER CONTROLLER OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE EMERGE FROM THE OVERCAST OVER RUNWAY 23 ABEAM THE VOR, THEN MAKE A TIGHT RIGHT TURN ONTO THE DOWNWIND LEG, PARALLEL TO RUNWAY 14 AND CLOSE IN. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABEAM THE RUNWAY 14 THRESHOLD, SHE OBSERVED THE NOSE PITCH UP, AND THE AIRPLANE DID WHAT SHE DESCRIBED AS A WING OVER. IT THEN DOVE AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY NEAR THE THRESHOLD. THE CONTROLLER STATED THAT THE PILOT MADE THIS ROUND TRIP EVERY DAY, AND SHE HAD SEEN HIM DO THIS MANEUVER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N90399](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90399-1994-05-18), registration cancelled 1994-05-18, S/N 600226096 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 (AEROSTAR 6)
- Registry model: [Smith AEROSTAR 600](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-aerostar-600) (registry code 8360602) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 60-0226-096
- Airframe hours: 6952
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-K1F5 290 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Cherokee Leasing, Inc., doing business as Cherokee Express Air Cargo
- Registered owner: Cherokee Leasing, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, February 15, 1993, 58 hours before
- Departed: TLH, TALLAHASSEE, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: PFN, Panama City-Bay County, runway 14, 6,304 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,550 total, 312 in this make and model, 318 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft overcast
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19930303004289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930303004289A), Mar 3, 1993: Piper PA60600, Panama City, FL, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Circling to land after IFR approach made close in wing over to align with runway. Was too low for timely pull out.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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