EVERGLADES CITY, FL, USA
N3RP
PIPER PA-23-250
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT ATTEMPTED A VFR FLT OVER THE EVERGLADES DURING THE HRS OF DARKNESS. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SWAMPY AREA AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHILE IN A 90 DEGREE LEFT BANK. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT. A CONVECTIVE SIGMET WAS ISSUED ABOUT 25 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE FLT RECEIVED THE SIGMET INFORMATION. AN EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK RANGER PILOT, WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, STATED THAT THE AREA INTO WHICH THE FLT WAS OPERATING WAS DESOLATE, WITH NO GROUND LIGHTS & NO DISCERNABLE HORIZON DURING THE HRS OF DARKNESS. THE SURFACE WX OBSERVATION AT FORT MYERS, ABT 50 MILES NW OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, INDICATED 4,500 FOOT BROKEN CLOUDS AND 7 MILES VISIBILITY. WX SATELLITE PHOTOS INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA WHERE THE ACCIDENT TOOK PLACE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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