History of Flight
On June 9, 2011, about 1014 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 152, N48869, registered to N70FT Incorporated and operated by Space Coast Aviation, collided with the ground after a loss of control in flight near Vero Beach, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed from Merritt Island Airport (COI), Merritt Island, Florida, about 0930. No witnesses reported the accident.
According to personnel at Space Coast Aviation, the flight was due back at COI at 1400. About 1500, they began calling other airports and cell phone companies to locate the airplane. The FAA issued an Alert Notice and initiated a search at 1920. At 2130, the Civil Air Patrol was notified and obtained a mission briefing. The Incident Commander contacted the flight school and received the airplane's probable flight path. Aircraft were launched on a probable flight path from COI to OBE at 2230. A law enforcement detective provided a cell tower location at the Yeehaw Junction Tower, and the AFRCC provided radar data. The path started at COI and terminated at the southern edge of Blue Cypress Lake. Civil Air Patrol aircraft acquired a weak ELT signal, and the Indian River Sheriff's aircrew located the wreckage about 0154.
Review of radar data showed that at 10:12:02, the airplane made a right 70-degree turn to heading 180 degrees. At 10:14:26, it made a left 360-degree turn. The last radar return was at 10:14:26. An FAA radar specialist stated that altitude information was missing and the airplane had a ground speed of approximately 90 to 95 knots for most of the flight, with the ground speed slowing significantly on the last radar return.
Personnel Information
The private pilot, age 21, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land rating issued on May 2, 2011, with a limitation valid only when accompanied by a United Kingdom Pilot License. She held a UK CAA JAA Class 1 medical certificate issued August 13, 2009, with no restrictions, and an FAA third-class medical certificate issued April 26, 2010, with a restriction. Her logbook showed 165 total flight hours, including 117 hours in the Cessna 152 and as pilot-in-command. She flew 89 hours in the last 90 days, 79 hours in the last 30 days, and 1 hour in the last 24 hours before the accident.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 152, serial number 15281014, was a 1977 two-place high-wing airplane with fixed tricycle landing gear, powered by a Lycoming O-235-L2C 118-horsepower four-cylinder engine. The last annual inspection was July 20, 2010, at 2505.0 tachometer hours (10345.0 airframe hours). The last 100-hour inspection was June 1, 2011, at 2804.3 tachometer hours (10745.3 airframe hours). At the accident, airframe time was 10767.6 hours. The airplane had flown 422.6 hours since the last annual and 21.7 hours since the last 100-hour inspection.
Meteorological Information
The Vero Beach Municipal Airport (VRB) 1053 surface observation reported wind 100 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,400 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 22°C, and altimeter 30.03 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located 0.20 mile southwest of Blue Cypress Lake. The airplane collided with trees and a swamp in a nose-down, left-wing-low attitude and came to rest on a heading of 320 degrees magnetic. There was no debris line. The propeller spinner was crushed; one blade had paint scuffing, the other was bent aft 20 degrees. The engine assembly was buried 3 feet below the surface. The cabin doors were open, latches latched. The attitude indicator showed 5 degrees pitch up and 5 degrees left wing low; vertical speed indicator showed 2,000 feet-per-minute down. The stall warning horn functioned. Fuel selector was on, throttle and mixture full forward. Seatbelts and shoulder harnesses were in use. Flight control continuity was established.
The right wing remained attached with accordion crush damage from root to tip. The right main fuel tank ruptured; no vegetation browning was present. The rudder stop modification (Service Bulletin SEB 01-1 and Service Kit SK 152-24A) was improperly complied with; the nut plate was attached to the inner surface of the tail cone bulkhead instead of the outer skin. The vertical tail and empennage fracture was consistent with shearing overstress, with no preexisting cracking. The left wing remained attached; left main fuel tank ruptured. The engine was partially disassembled; carburetor had fuel with no water, no debris. Magnetos produced spark; spark plugs showed normal wear. No metallic debris in oil filter. Engine continuity and compression confirmed from all cylinders.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies conducted by the Office of the Medical Examiner of District 19 determined the cause of death for both the pilot and passenger as multiple blunt force trauma. Toxicology testing for the pilot showed no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or drugs; ethanol detected due to putrefaction. For the passenger, tests were negative for basic, acidic, and neutral drugs; caffeine and acetaminophen were present in urine.
Additional Information
The Cessna 152 Pilot's Operating Handbook indicates stall speeds at 1,670 pounds: 36 KIAS with flaps retracted and 0° bank; 39 KIAS at 30° bank; 43 KIAS at 45° bank; 51 KIAS at 60° bank.