- Date
- February 9, 2013, 10:20 local (15:20 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N662DADratbe Shmiel Amir Classic Edge X
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 18, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130209001029A
- Case key
- 86173
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
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.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
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.
Factual narrative
The student pilot/owner reported that he was flying eastbound with a passenger along 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 an intersecting (north/south) set of power lines, which crossed the canal, directly in its flight path. The pilot attempted to fly under the power lines to avoid them, but struck a tree on the canal's bank, and the airplane then impacted the water and submerged, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. Witnesses reported to the FAA that the airplane was flying just above the canal, below the height of the parallel lines, when it descended further, struck the tree, and the water. The student/pilot owner stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have prevented normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N662DA
- Reported as
- Dratbe Shmiel Amir Classic Edge X
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- 582-563
- Airframe hours
- 507
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mijares John A
- Registered owner
- Mijares John A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- X51 · Homestead, FL
- Destination
- Miami, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 30 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- HST, 5 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.