- Date
- September 25, 2005, 20:15 local (Sep 26, 2005, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Bell, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N993FLVans RV-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Tampa FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050925027789A
- Case key
- 62553
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 pilot's failure to maintain visual lookout during a VFR approach toward the runway resulting in-flight collision with trees. Factors in this accident are no lights for the grass strip runway and attempting to land in low natural light visibility conduction.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated that the runway was less visible than anticipated, partly due to the scattered clouds. He made several passes to identify the runway. It looked to him he had it made but veered off, possible looking at the altimeter, and hit the top of a tree. The airplane separated in several sections from the impact. The section he was in hung from the tree a few feet above the ground in an up-side down position. He released the seat belt restraints and ran for help to put out the fire as a result of the crash.
Factual narrative
This report is based on information received by the NTSB. Additional details may be found in the NTSB's public docket for this case. For further information, please contact the NTSB Office of Public Inquiries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N993FL
- Reported as
- Vans RV-3
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 488
- Airframe hours
- 575
- Engine
- Mazda 13B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Finn Lassen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CLW · Clearwater, FL
- Destination
- 9FL5 · Bell, 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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2004
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 747 total · 565 in this make and model · 714 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- KCTY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.