# NTSB MIA99LA044: Rockwell 114A, N5913N, New Smyrna Bch, FL, December 13, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 13, 1998, 14:10 local (19:10 UTC) - Place: New Smyrna Bch, FL - Coordinates: 29.020702, -80.919433 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0207&lon=-80.9194&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45469 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45469/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA044 ## Probable cause The pilots failure to maintain adequate altitude clearance with the terrain during final approach, and the subsequent collision with high vegetation and a road sign. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - altitude/clearance - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - high vegetation - object - sign ## Analysis The pilot was performing touch and go landings to runway 29 with the winds reported to be 210 degrees at 6 knots, gusting to 13 knots. Observers stated that the aircraft was low and collided with scrub brush and a road sign outside the airport boundary, dug a left wing tip in the dirt, and commenced a cartwheel onto the airport and burned. ## Factual narrative On December 13, 1998, about 1410 eastern standard time, a Rockwell AC 114A, N5913N, registered to a private individual, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while on final approach to New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport, New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot, a German citizen and sole occupant, received serious injuries, and the airplane was destroyed by postcrash fire. The flight originated from the same airport about 1 hour before the accident. According to the pilot, he sustained a concussion and remembers nothing about the flight. During an interview with the pilot on December 15, 1998, he was able to remember that he ordered the fuel tanks be topped off at a fixed-base operator (FBO), on New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport, the day before the accident. Fuel receipts from that FBO confirms he took on 37.5 gallons on December 12, 1998. He also remembered getting his high performance/complex aircraft endorsement from a CFI at North Perry Airport before renting the aircraft on December 10, 1998. He did remember his intention was to practice instrument approaches at Daytona Beach International Airport the day of the accident. According to the FAA inspector's statement, the pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings for about 1 hour before the accident. The pilot had rented the airplane from the registered owner, William Conroy, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on December 10, 1998, had obtained his high performance/complex endorsement and began a cross-country, multiday flight that originated from North Perry Airport, Hollywood, Florida, to Tampa International, to Orlando's Executive Airport, to New Smyrna Beach. According to witnesses, the airplane was observed performing touch-and-go landings to runway 29, when it appeared to go low on approach, collided with scrub brush growing outside the airport boundary, hit a road sign, cartwheeled through the airport perimeter fence, and came to rest and burned inside the airport boundary. The engine was developing power before impact with the brush. One witness heard takeoff power being applied seconds before the crash. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5913N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5913N-2001-09-17), registration cancelled 2001-09-17, S/N 14530 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rockwell 114A - Registry model: [Rockwell International 114A](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-114a) (registry code 7630315) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 14530 - Airframe hours: 2166 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-T4B5D 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William Conroy - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: EVB - Airport: EVB, New Symrna Beach Muni, runway 29, 4,300 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 130 total, 10 in this make and model, 100 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 6 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 3 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,600 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: DAB, 10 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 19981213033289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981213033289A), Dec 13, 1998: Gulstm 114ARKWELL, New Smyrnabeach, FL, Destroyed. Pilot was practicing touch and go landings when the acft engine quit on final approach. (.19) on December 13, 1998, about 1410 eastern standard time, a… 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. --- 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.