Hollywood, FL, USA
N6091E
CESSNA 172
The pilot did not receive a weather briefing before beginning the cross-country flight. After takeoff, the pilot requested from air traffic control to fly below 500 ft above ground level along the ocean shoreline. The controller approved the request but advised of heavy precipitation (a thunderstorm) at the airplane's 12-o'clock position and 4 miles ahead. The controller further advised that the pilot should turn left and fly offshore 3 miles to avoid the thunderstorm. Although the pilot acknowledged the instructions, a review of radar and GPS data for the flight revealed that he continued on course. About 3 minutes later, the pilot reported the he was reversing direction, and no further communications were received from the pilot. Review of the airplane's GPS track overlaid on weather radar plots revealed that the airplane flew into an area of extreme intensity precipitation and then entered a rapid descent and impacted the ocean. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions. It is likely that the pilot lost control of the airplane when it encountered strong downdrafts and heavy rain associated with the thunderstorm.
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 3, 2016, about 0950 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N6091E, was destroyed when it impacted the Atlantic Ocean while maneuvering near Hollywood, Florida. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was owned by Volux Aviation LLC, and operated by the private pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane departed from Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP), Pompano Beach, Florida, at 0932 and was destined for Ocean Reef Club Airport (07FA), Key Largo, Florida. While flying south along the shoreline, the pilot contacted the air traffic control tower at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and requested to fly through the tower's airspace below 500 ft above ground level. The air traffic controller approved the request but advised the pilot of "heavy precipitation at the 12 o'clock position and 4 miles ahead" and stated, "you should turn left and go off shore 3 miles to avoid the thunderstorm." The pilot acknowledged the communication, and 3 minutes later, the pilot reported, "I am turning back to the north." The air traffic controller approved the turn, and no further communications were received from the airplane. Review of radar and GPS data that were downloaded from a portable GPS receiver, revealed that the pilot did not turn left and fly offshore as the air traffic controller advised. The data showed that the airplane instead maintained a southerly heading. The airplanes final GPS-derived position was recorded at 0950, with the airplane at a GPS altitude of 440 feet, a groundspeed of 85 knots, and tracking southbound. About 0951, when the pilot advised the controller that he was turning around and heading north, and when the airplane was about 3 miles east of FLL, radar contact was lost at a reported altitude of 200 feet with the airplane tracking eastbound. A search was initiated, and the airplane wreckage was located about 2 miles east of the shoreline submerged in the Atlantic Ocean in about 15 ft of water. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on July 6, 2015. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 795 hours. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated a total of 818.4 hours of flight experience before the accident flight, and had flown 3.5 hours in the previous 90 days. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to FAA and aircraft maintenance records, the airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on December 13, 1978. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-H2AD engine that was driving a McCauley propeller. According to maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on February 16, 2016, at a total time in service of 5,047.8 hours. At that time, the engine had accumulated 38.3 hours since major overhaul. At the time of the accident, the airplane had flown about 105 hours since the last annual inspection. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThere was no record of the pilot receiving any preflight weather briefing from flight service or a direct user access terminal. At 0953, FLL reported wind from 150° at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles in light rain, scattered clouds at 1,500 ft and 6,000 ft, ceiling broken at 10,000 ft, broken clouds at 25,000 ft, temperature 27°C, dew point temperature 23°C, and altimeter 30.06 inches of Hg. The remarks section of the observation stated that rain began at 0952, and there were cumulonimbus clouds overhead through the north and from the west to northwest moving northeast. A thunderstorm was reported at FLL at 0956 with occasional in-cloud lightning to the north. The thunderstorm ended at 1023 with 0.01 inch of rain reported at the airport and with no significant change in flight conditions or wind gusts. The National Weather Service Miami (KAMX) Weather Surveillance Radar – 1988, Doppler (WSR-88D) was operating in the severe storm precipitation mode surrounding the time of the accident. KAMX WSR-88D composite reflectivity images at 0938, 0943, 0948, and 0953 depicted a band of heavy-to-extreme intensity echoes along the southeast Florida coast and immediately east of FLL during the period, with the echoes in the immediate vicinity of the accident site reaching maximum intensity and then decreasing in intensity with time and moving north-northeastward. The lowest 0.5°-elevation scan depicted the conditions immediately above the airplane between 870 to 3,220 ft and depicted echoes between 40 to 52 dBZ (heavy-to-extreme intensity). Overlaying the airplane's GPS track on the 0953 0.5°-base reflectivity image (see figure 1) indicated that the airplane traveled into a small but intense reflectivity core of 51dBZ (extreme intensity) precipitation. Figure 1 - KAMX WSR-88D Composite Reflectivity Image at 0953 with the airplane's 0950 GPS-derived position superimposed in magenta. AIRPORT INFORMATIONAccording to FAA and aircraft maintenance records, the airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate on December 13, 1978. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-H2AD engine that was driving a McCauley propeller. According to maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed on February 16, 2016, at a total time in service of 5,047.8 hours. At that time, the engine had accumulated 38.3 hours since major overhaul. At the time of the accident, the airplane had flown about 105 hours since the last annual inspection. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane was recovered from the water and examined. The left and right wings were separated from the fuselage at their roots and exhibited aft crushing along their leading edges. Flight control cable continuity was established from the cockpit area to all flight control surfaces. The measurement of the elevator trim actuator corresponded to a nose-down trim. Engine valve train continuity was verified, and thumb compression on all cylinders was established by rotating the propeller. All flight control surfaces remained at least partially attached to their respective attachment points. The flaps were in the "up" position. Both fuel tanks were breeched and exhibited signs of hydraulic deformation. The left main landing gear was separated from the fuselage. All seats were separated from their mounting points. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe Broward County Medical Examiner, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, performed an autopsy on the pilot by. The autopsy findings included "multiple blunt force injuries." The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted forensic toxicology on specimens from the pilot. The toxicology report stated that no carbon monoxide was detected in the blood, and no drugs were detected in the urine.
The pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in continued flight into a thunderstorm and a subsequent loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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