# NTSB MIA98FA040: Commander 114B, N302RS, Cross City, FL, November 30, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: November 30, 1997, 13:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Cross City, FL - Coordinates: 29.630739, -83.119209 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6307&lon=-83.1192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report October 30, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38382 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98FA040 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38382/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98FA040 ## Probable cause VFR flight by the noninstrument-rated pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft, due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the terrain (tree, ground & water). Related factors were: the adverse weather condition (low clouds/ceiling), and the pilot's lack of instrument experience. ## Analysis The non-instrument rated pilot received 5 weather briefings before departing on a planned VFR flight to his destination airport. He was informed that VFR flight was not recommended, and was briefed on AIRMET information concerning marginal VFR and turbulence. The pilot departed, and while en route, he reported that he would attempt to remain below clouds at 3,500 feet msl. Later, he descended to 3,300 feet in an attempt to remain VFR. About 15 minutes later, the airplane descended slightly, then climbed to 3,700 feet. After that, the airplane entered a left descending 270 degree turn, then radar contact was lost. Subsequently, the airplane had an in-flight collision with a tree, water, and terrain. There was evidence that initial impact (with the tree) was in a left wing low, descending attitude. About 40 miles east, the Gainesvill, FL, weather was in part: 700 to 900 feet broken, 1,800 feet overcast, visibility 7 miles, wind from 240 degrees at 9 knots. No preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine or airframe was found. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed he had logged 1.1 hours of dual hooded flight and 1.7 hours of dual instrument flight. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 30, 1997, about 1310 eastern standard time, a Commander 114-B, N302RS, registered to "R" Stuff Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight crashed while maneuvering in the vicinity of Cross City, Florida. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed, but was not activated. The airplane was destroyed. The noninstrument rated private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated from Crystal River, Florida, about 36 minutes before the accident. The airplane was reported missing on December 3, 1997. The airplane was located on December 4, 1997, at 1334, at N29.36' W83.15'. Review of transcribed communication between N302RS, Jacksonville Approach (Vitts radar VR) and Jacksonville Air Route Traffic Control Center (28) revealed N302RS reported off Crystal River, Florida, climbing through 2,300 feet at 1737Z (1237 EST) to VR. The pilot informed VR that he was en route to Tallahassee via Cross City. He was instructed to squawk 0413 and provided with the local altimeter setting. N302RS was informed he was radar contact 10 miles north of Crystal River Airport, to proceed on course to Tallahassee, and asked what his cruising altitude would be. N302RS stated at 1738:31, "ah were going to try for five thousand five hundred but ah we'll just remain below these ah cloud level here." VR informed N302RS at 1738:48, "okay I'll give you a little pilot report from pilots that ah cruised through the area about ah the last fifteen twenty minutes I talked to pilots at ah six or four, six eight and ten and they said there was no available ah vfr altitudes but ah look like this weather may have cleared out a little bit since then." N302RS replied, we are climbing through 3,000 and were on a really nice spot, visibility's probably good 15 to 20 miles. The pilot informed ATC at 1739, that he was going off frequency to activate his VFR flight plan. There is no recorded record that the flight plan was activated with any FAA Flight Service Station. N302RS asked VR at 1742:53, if they could fly along the coast line and that they were going to level off at 3,500 to stay VFR, which was approved. At 1746:26, N302RS informed VR that he had to descend to 3,300 to maintain VFR, and was informed by VR at 1746:35, that radar services were terminated, squawk VFR, and to contact R28 for advisories. N302RS contacted R28 at 1747:36, and requested flight following to Tallahassee. R28 replied at 1748:08, "Commander two Romeo Sierra I'll be unable flight following due to IFR traffic today." The pilot responded at 1748:12, "Roger sir thank you very much we'll just keep you on frequency then until we get close to Tallahassee." There was no other recorded communication with N302RS. Review of the Discrete Area Radar Tracking System, National Track Analysis Program (NTAP), at 1800:03, indicates that N302RS continued towards the northwest at 3,200 feet. The airplane was observed climbing at 1800:51. At 1802:04, the airplane was at 3,700 feet and started a left descending 270-degree turn. The last radar return was recorded at N29.35' W83.16', 1600 feet at 1803:04. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Information on file with the Federal Aviation Administration Airman Certification Branch, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with ratings airplane single engine land on June 14, 1997. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed the pilot had recorded as logged 146 total flight hours. Thirty-five hours had been logged in the Commander 114-B, of which 14 were as the pilot-in-command. The pilot had a total of 1.1 hours dual hooded flight and 1.7 hours of dual actual instrument flight. The last recorded hood flight was June 13, 1997, and the last recorded instrument flight was September 8, 1997. Review of initial training records conducted by IFR Flight Training School in Austin, Texas, revealed the pilot had completed 30.7 hours of ground instruction, and 19.6 hours of flight instruction on November 21, 1997, in the Commander 114-B. For additional first pilot information, see page 3 of this report. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION Review of airframe maintenance records revealed the altimeter system altitude reporting equipment, and transponder was inspected on November 13, 1997. For additional aircraft information, see page 2 of this report. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Gainesville, Florida, located about 40 miles to the east. The 1253 surface weather observation was: 700 broken, 900 broken, 1,800 overcast, 2,500 overcast, visibility 7 miles, temperature 70 degrees Fahrenheit, dewpoint 68 degrees Fahrenheit, wind from 240 degrees at 9 knots, and altimeter 29.63 inHg. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite data reviewed by the NTSB meteorologists revealed the cloud bases were near 1,000 feet with the predominant cloud tops about 6,000 to 7,000 feet; some cloud tops were above 10,000 feet, with light rain showers. The flight visibility was 0 miles in the clouds and above 3 miles below the clouds. For additional informational see NTSB Meteorologist's Weather Study. Review of transcribed communication between N302RS and the Gainesville Automated Flight Service Station revealed the pilot received five weather briefings on November 30, 1997. The pilot was informed on the first, third, and fourth weather briefing that VFR flight was not recommended. He was also informed that Tallahassee was IFR on all weather briefings except for the fifth briefing, and that an airmet was in effect for the whole state stating, "VFR flight not recommended all day long." The last recorded weather briefing began at 1208 and was terminated at 1211. The pilot requested and received the Tallahassee weather. The weather was described by the forecaster as marginal VFR, with an associated airmet for moderate turbulence. The pilot filed a VFR flight plan from X-31 to Tallahassee at 1210. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The wreckage of N302RS was located in the vicinity of Ramsey Bend Hunting Club, Township 10, Range 10, Cross City, Florida. Examination of the crashsite revealed the airplane collided with the top of a 60 foot tree in a descending, nose-down, left wing low attitude. The airplane continued forward 102 feet before colliding with the terrain/water, separating the left aileron assembly, a section of the left flap assembly, and the right hand elevator tip. The airplane bounced, collided with an embankment and trees 125 feet down the crash debris line on a heading of 040 degrees magnetic. The left wing was compressed aft. The leading edge skin assembly separated outboard of the wingwalk, forward of the auxiliary spar, and aft to the left hand outboard spar. The left hand fuel tank was destroyed and the left wing tip separated. The right wing was accelerated forward. The outboard right leading edge skin and right wing tip were bent around the base of a tree. The leading edge skin assembly separated outboard of the wingwalk, forward of the auxiliary spar, and aft of the right hand outboard spar. The right hand fuel tank was destroyed. The nose gear, and left and right main landing gear were found in the up position. The flaps were in the retracted position. The engine assembly separated from the engine mount, firewall, and rotated around its lateral axis to the left 90 degrees. Torsional twisting, and "s" bending was present on all propeller blades. Two propeller blades were loose in the propeller hub with chordwise scarring. The remaining propeller blade exhibited polishing on the cambered and aft surface. The nose section, center section, and aft section were destroyed. Examination of the airframe, flight control assembly, engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failur ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - terrain condition - water - terrain condition - ground ## Aircraft - Registration: [N302RS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N302RS-2017-02-28), registration cancelled 2017-02-28, S/N 14653, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Commander 114B - Registry model: [Commander 114-B](https://openairdocs.org/model/commander-114-b) (registry code 0145001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 14653 - Airframe hours: 32 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-T4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: R Stuff Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: X31, CRYSTAL RIVER, FL - Destination: TLH, TALLAHASSEE, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 146 total, 35 in this make and model, 51 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 9 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 700 ft broken - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: GNV, 40 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 19971130040439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971130040439A), Nov 30, 1997: Gulstm 114B, Cross City, FL, Destroyed, 3 fatal. VFR pilot lost control in clouds. Spatial disorientation no doubt occured wreckage indicates in spiral at impact. (-23) on November 30, 1997, at approximately… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.