History of Flight
On October 31, 2023, about 0358 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N140FS, was substantially damaged when it impacted marshy terrain near Pembroke Pines, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight.
According to ADS-B data, the pilot flew from Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51) to Okeechobee County Airport (OBE) and landed uneventfully about 0233. For the return flight to X51, flown without visual flight rules flight following services, the pilot flew east of Lake Okeechobee then southerly. He reported feeling tired and began singing to stay awake, noting no outside visual reference except the city on his left. ADS-B data showed the airplane climbed to 2,200 ft msl and remained at that altitude between 0336 and 0341, about 49 nautical miles north-northwest of the destination.
While continuing south over a non-populated area, multiple heading and altitude changes occurred. The pilot sensed his body getting spatially disoriented, then flew into a “small cloud,” leading to disorientation. He overcorrected and had trouble maintaining altitude. At 0354, at 1,800 ft msl, the airplane made three 360° right descending turns with decreasing radius. The initial turn placed the airplane over an unpopulated area with no ground reference lights. The pilot stated he attempted to use rudder pedals but could not correct. The airplane subsequently impacted the marshy terrain and came to rest upright. The pilot evacuated and waited on the center wing portion for rescue.
At 0800, flight school personnel began inventorying aircraft dispatched for night flights. The accident airplane, not approved for night dispatch, was missing. A search using a commercial flight tracking application initially did not show the descending turns due to zoom level. About 0907, personnel saw a text message from the pilot sent early that morning indicating he would fly the airplane. They contacted FAA facilities and called 911 about 0938, over six hours after the accident. They flew multiple trips and visually spotted the wreckage and heard the ELT signal on 121.5 MHz at 1020. A search and rescue helicopter arrived about 1045, rescuing the pilot shortly after.
Pilot Information
The pilot obtained his private pilot certificate on September 10, 2023, and received a day and night checkout by the flight school on September 13, 2023. He had scheduled to fly another airplane with a safety pilot on October 30 from 2000 to 0000 local, but the safety pilot could not fly. About 0100, he texted the flight school manager his intention to fly the accident airplane. The message was not noticed until later that morning; the airplane had not been approved for dispatch prior to the flight.
The operator reported that fatigue awareness and mitigation were discussed during ground and flight training, and at school meetings. Human factors were discussed during every stage check. Fatigue mitigation included not allowing flight bookings longer than 4 hours in a 24-hour period. The IMSAFE self-assessment tool was briefed on the first day of ground training.
Aircraft Information
Multiple pilots who flew the accident airplane in the previous six days reported no discrepancies with the airplane, engine, or flight instruments. The altimeter system and altitude reporting testing per 14 CFR 91.411, and transponder tests per 91.413, were last performed on November 10, 2021, and due next November 30, 2023.
The airplane was equipped with an Artex ELT 345 installed in January 2020. The ELT transmitted on 121.5 MHz and 406 MHz. The installation kit included a cockpit remote switch, coax cable, audible buzzer, and fixed antenna. The ELT was heard operating by an FAA inspector and a helicopter pilot near the wreckage, but the 406 MHz signal was not received by NOAA’s COSPAS-SARSAT satellite. An ELT manufacturer representative indicated that with a nearly fully submerged whip antenna, attenuation likely weakened the signal strength. The ELT was also not registered with NOAA.
The pilot reported no preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or its systems on the NTSB report.
Meteorological Information
At the accident date and location, the moon upper transit was at 0312, and the moon was waning gibbous with 90% of the visible disk illuminated.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed the airplane mostly submerged but upright, with only the left wing, inboard portion of the right wing, and upper vertical stabilizer with attached rudder visible. The ELT antenna, mounted just behind the rear window, was nearly fully submerged. After recovery, substantial damage was noted to both wings and left horizontal stabilizer. The engine and engine mounts separated from the fuselage but remained attached by control cables.
Aileron and elevator flight controls showed no preimpact failure or malfunction. Rudder control movement could not be confirmed at the pedals due to extensive impact damage. Fuel samples from each wing tank were bright blue with no water contamination; about 25 gallons were drained. The ELT remained secured in its mounting, with the status LED blinking indicating activation. The BNC antenna connection remained attached, but the 15-pin connector had separated consistent with impact damage.
Additional Information
The FAA's General Aviation Joint Steering Committee notes that a pilot's sight, supported by other senses, maintains orientation. When visibility is restricted, the body's supporting senses can conflict, leading to spatial disorientation. The FAA Airplane Flying Handbook states that the vestibular sense can confuse pilots, as the inner ear cannot detect slight or uniform attitude changes and can generate false sensations.