# NTSB MIA91MA100: Piper PA-46-310P, N9112K, Bronson, FL, March 17, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Major investigation · Final report
- Date: March 17, 1991, 10:36 local (15:36 UTC)
- Place: Bronson, FL
- Coordinates: 29.43972, -82.630981 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.4397&lon=-82.6310&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 2, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 32936
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA91MA100
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/32936/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA91MA100

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ACTIVATE THE PITOT HEAT BEFORE ASCENDING ABOVE THE FREEZING LEVEL IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), FOLLOWED BY HIS IMPROPER RESPONSE TO ERRONEOUS AIRSPEED INDICATIONS THAT RESULTED FROM BLOCKAGE OF THE PITOT TUBE BY ATMOSPHERIC ICING.  CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS:  THE PILOT'S LACK OF CURRENCY IN FLYING IN IMC.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of control - in flight, climb - to cruise
  - aircraft weight and balance - exceeded, pilot in command
  - weather condition - clouds
  - weather condition - rain
  - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor)
  - pitot/static system - ice (cause)
  - anti-ice/deice system - improper use of, pilot in command (cause)
  - flight/nav instruments,airspeed indicator - false indication (cause)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of recent instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
  - wing - overload
  - wing - separation
  - stabilizer - overload
  - stabilizer - separation
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT WAS ON AN IFR FLT IN IMC & RCVD CLNC TO CLIMB & MAINT FL220. DRG CLIMB, HE INFORMED ARTCC, '. . . WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM.'  WHEN ASKED TO SAY AGAIN, HE BGN THE SAME REPLY, THEN NO FURTHER RDO COM WAS RCVD FM THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENTLY AN INFLT BREAKUP OCCURRED & WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVR A WIDE AREA. THE RGT OUTBOARD WING PANEL, HRZNTL STABILIZER, ELEVATORS, RGT AILERON & PARTS OF THE RUDDER WERE FND AT A DSTC FM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THESE DISPLAYED EVIDENCE OF OVERSTRESS FAILURE. NO PREEXISTING CRACKS OR FATIGUE WAS FND. RADAR & WX DATA SHOWED DEV FM NORMAL FLT BGN AT OR NR MDT CONVECTIVE WX ECHO (VIP 2) AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU 17,300' IN FRZG CONDS. AT THAT TIME, THE RATE OF CLIMB WAS ABT 200'/MIN & THE GND SPD WAS 150 TO 160 KTS. AT 1032:18, A DSCNT BGN. DRG THE NEXT 2 TO 3 MIN, THE ACFT'S ALT, HDG & SPD DEVIATED. AT 1035:17, OTR PRIMARY RADAR TARGETS APPEARED, THEN RADAR CTC WAS LOST. GROSS WT OF THE ACFT WAS ESTD TO BE 4311 LBS; MAX ALLOWABLE WT WAS 4100 LBS. CG WAS ESTD TO BE 1.59 INCHES BHND THE AFT LMT. (SEE: NTSB/SIR-92/03)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9112K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9112K-2012-08-13), registration cancelled 2012-08-13, S/N 4608042, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-46-310P
- Registry model: [Piper PA-46-310P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-310p) (registry code 7104605) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 4608042
- Airframe hours: 662
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TSIO-520-BE1 310 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Donald M. Schreiber
- Registered owner: Fuller Aircraft Leasing Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 15, 1991, 11 hours before
- Departed: PIE, ST PETERSBURG, FL
- Destination: BED, BEDFORD, MA
- Flight plan: IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 2,252 total, 268 in this make and model, 2,027 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 70° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 700 ft overcast
- Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: GNV, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19910317005549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910317005549A), Mar 17, 1991: Piper PA46310P, Bronson, FL, Destroyed, 4 fatal. IFR called center said having problem,crashed shortly after. Evidence inflight breakup,over gross rear CG exceed.

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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