- Date
- March 25, 1999, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Homestead, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N82435Dryer Fisher 404
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990325031949A
- Case key
- 45982
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
The pilots improper in-flight planning/decision of an available forced landing area. This resulted in a subsequent in-flight collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power due to an inoperative generator coil.
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
The pilot stated he was at 1,000 feet when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. He started a forced landing to a dirt road in a tomato field. The airplane collided with a tree short of his intended forced landing area and crashed. Examination of the crash site revealed a suitable forced landing area left of the pilots flight path. Examination of the engine assembly revealed an inoperative generator coil.
Factual narrative
On March 25, 1999, about 0800 eastern standard time, an experimental Dryer airplane, Fisher 404, N82435, experienced a reported total loss of engine power in cruise flight in the vicinity of Homestead, Florida, while operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The pilot crashed during a forced landing. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airline transport pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Homestead General Airport, Homestead, Florida, about 30 minutes before the accident.
The pilot stated he was in straight and level flight at 1,000 feet when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. He started a forced landing to a dirt road in a tomato field. The airplane collided with a tree short of his intended forced landing area and crashed.
Examination of the crash site revealed a suitable forced landing area was located to the left of the pilot's flight path, and the forced landing area was attainable.
Examination of the engine assembly revealed an inoperative generator coil. The engine was equipped with an electronic ignition, which require battery power for its operation, the battery was depleted during the flight due to the generator failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82435
- Reported as
- Dryer Fisher 404
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DBD404-01
- Airframe hours
- 20
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 46 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David B. Dryer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- X-51 · FL
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 18,300 total · 20 in this make and model · 4,080 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HST, 7 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.