- Date
- February 3, 1990, 10:47 local (15:47 UTC)
- Place
- Sebastian, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19900203001591A19900203001592A
- Case key
- 32545
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
Failure of the AA-1A pilot to see-and-avoid the Piper PA-28 which had entered traffic first. A factor related to the accident was: failure of the PA-28 pilot to see the American AA-1A, when the AA-1A was on a base leg and the PA-28 was further out on final approach.
Failure of the AA-1A pilot to see-and-avoid the Piper PA-28 which had entered traffic first. A factor related to the accident was: failure of the PA-28 pilot to see the American AA-1A, when the AA-1A was on a base leg and the PA-28 was further out on final approach.
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
A midair collision occurred between a Piper PA-28, N473FT, & an American AA-1A, N9486L, as the 2 acft were on final apch to land on rwy 13 at an unctld arpt. Both acft then crashed to the ground. The plt of the AA-1A survived the acdnt, but due to injuries, he could not recall details of the occurrence. The AA-1A was initially in left traffic behind the PA-28, a CFI (in traffic ahead of both acft) heard the PA-28 plt rprt on a 1-3/4 mi final apch. He then heard the AA-1A plt rprt on base leg. Thereafter, the CFI heard the AA-1A plt rprt turning on a short final apch & became aware of a potential traffic conflict. The CFI then saw the AA-1A in a left turn on the rgt side of the final apch path, as if the plt had overshot the turn to final. Also, he saw the PA-28 on final apch. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged & collided. During impact, the prop & nosewheel of the AA-1A hit the empennage of the PA-28.
A midair collision occurred between a Piper PA-28, N473FT, & an American AA-1A, N9486L, as the 2 acft were on final apch to land on rwy 13 at an unctld arpt. Both acft then crashed to the ground. The plt of the AA-1A survived the acdnt, but due to injuries, he could not recall details of the occurrence. The AA-1A was initially in left traffic behind the PA-28. A CFI (in traffic ahead of both acft) heard the PA-28 plt rprt on a 1-3/4 mi final apch. He then heard the AA-1A plt rprt on base leg. Thereafter, the CFI heard the AA-1A plt rprt turning on a short final apch & became aware of a potential traffic conflict. The CFI then saw the AA-1A in a left turn on the rgt side of the final apch path, as if the plt had overshot the turn to final. Also, he saw the PA-28 on final apch. Subsequently, the 2 acft converged & collided. During impact, the prop & nosewheel of the AA-1A hit the empennage of the PA-28.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N473FT
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8216222
- Airframe hours
- 4,986
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D36, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Fl Institute Of Technology
- Registered owner
- Florida Institute Of Tech.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 21, 1989 · 86 hours before
- Departed
- PBI · Palm Beach, FL
- Destination
- X-59 · Valkaria, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- X26 · Sebastian Muni, runway 13, 4,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
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.
- Registration
- N9486L
- Reported as
- American AA-1A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AA-1A-0286
- Airframe hours
- 1,704
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Cooper, Roger L.
- Registered owner
- Cooper, Roger L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 2, 1989 · 94 hours before
- Departed
- X26
- Destination
- X26
- Airport
- X26 · Sebastian Muni, runway 13, 4,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N473FT
- Age
- 19
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 147 total · 49 in this make and model · 107 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N9486L
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,344 total · 83 in this make and model · 5,115 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VBR, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.