# NTSB MIA90FA050: Piper PA-30, N7030Y, Tallahassee, FL, January 6, 1990

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: January 5, 1990, 20:08 local (Jan 6, 1990, 01:08 UTC)
- Place: Tallahassee, FL
- Coordinates: 30.390064, -84.509941 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.3901&lon=-84.5099&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report September 21, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32542
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA90FA050
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32542/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA90FA050

## Probable cause

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN A/C CONTROL IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION CAUSED BY FIXATION OF AN UNDETERMINED LIGHT SOURCE.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, approach
  - aircraft handling - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
  - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - decision height - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - missed approach - not performed, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - ground (cause)

## Analysis

WHILE ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN IMC CONDITIONS, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27 AT TALLAHASSEE REGIONAL AIRPORT, TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA. THE PILOT STATED THROUGHOUT THE APPROACH, HE HAD PREPARED HIMSELF MENTALLY TO FLY THE PUBLISHED MISSED APPROACH ABOVE THE PUBLISHED DECISSION HEIGHT. HE FURTHER STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN BELOW THE GLIDE PATH AND TO THE RIGHT OF THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. AT 300 FEET AGL THE PILOT LOOKED OUTSIDE THE AIRPLANE SEARCHING FOR THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT. HE SAW LIGHTS AND A YELLOW ROTATING BEACON AND BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED AND FIXATED ON THE ROTATING BEACON. HE DID NOT INCREASE HIS SCANNING OR RETURN HIS VISION BACK INSIDE TO THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS AND CRASHED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE SOURCE OF THE ROTATING BEACON WAS NOT DETERMINED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N7030Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7030Y-1990-12-17), registration cancelled 1990-12-17, S/N 3031 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-30
- Registry model: [Piper PA-30](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-30) (registry code 7103002) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 30-31
- Airframe hours: 3578
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Calley, Nicholas O.
- Registered owner: Calley, Nicholas O
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, November 6, 1989, 10 hours before
- Departed: BKV, BROOKSVILLE, FL
- Destination: TLH, TALLAHASSEE, FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: runway 27, 8,000 × 150 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 476 total, 164 in this make and model, 400 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Not reported
- Wind: 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 200 ft overcast
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: TLH

## 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 19900105000179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900105000179A), Jan 5, 1990: Piper PA30, Tallahassee, FL, Destroyed. Spatial disorientation near dh on ILS approach, got below glide slope. Lost control and crashed near end of runway.

## Other investigations on N7030Y (2)

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.

- [NTSB MIA67F0356](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA67F0356), Jan 24, 1967: Piper PA-30 (N7030Y), Jonesboro, GA, substantial damage
- [NTSB UNK64X2325](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK64X2325), Jun 17, 1964: Piper PA30 (N7030Y), Ft Lauderdale, FL, substantial damage

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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