- Date
- February 17, 1989, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Melrose, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3488QCessna 320E
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 1, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890217002169A
- Case key
- 32273
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 failure of the pilot to comply promptly with ATC instructions and his loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
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 initiated a crosscountry flight and encountered IMC conditions near his destination. He requested and received an IFR clearance. The pilot consistently did not respond to ATC instructions. The final ATC vector to intercept the localizer course required a 220 degree right turn which would have resulted in a 30 degree angle of intercept. During the turn aircraft control was lost and the aircraft crashed in a farm yard. Witnesses reported hearing strong engine sounds prior to impact. Exam of the aircraft did not disclose evidence of mechanical failure or system malfunction. Exam of the props showed impact damage consistent with cruise power. The wreckage exam indicated the gear and flaps in the up and retracted position. No determination could be made as to the pilot's recency of instrument experience or instrument competency.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3488Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 320E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0088
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520B, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Donald Murdock
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MKY · Marco Island, FL
- Destination
- GNU · Gainesville, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 17 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.