Date & Time:
Mar 3, 1993 at 0658 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600)
Operator:
Cherokee Express Air Cargo
Registration:
N90399
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Tallahassee – Panama City
MSN:
60-0226-096
YOM:
1975
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
312
Aircraft flight hours:
6952
Circumstances:
The flight had been cleared for the VOR-A approach, with instructions to circle to a right downwind and land on runway 14. The tower controller observed the airplane emerge from the overcast over runway 23 abeam the VOR, then make a tight right turn onto the downwind leg, parallel to runway 14 and close in. When the airplane was abeam the runway 14 threshold, she observed the nose pitch up, and the airplane did what she described as a wing over. It then dove and impacted the runway near the threshold. The controller stated that the pilot made this round trip every day, and she had seen him do this maneuver on several occasions. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot's poorly planned approach to the runway following an instrument approach resulting in a loss of control.
Final Report:
N90399.pdf89.37 KB
