Piper PA-44-180 N118TP
6 December 2008 · Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 6 December 2008 at about 21:30 local time, a Piper PA-44-180 registered N118TP, operated by Airline Transport Professionals Corp of USA, was involved in an accident near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 26.0044, -80.4800
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180
- Registration
- N118TP
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Airline Transport Professionals Corp of USA
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Fort Lauderdale → Fort Lauderdale
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA09FA080
People
4 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other aircraft.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
A Cessna and Piper were both on instructional flights, operating in a concentrated flight training area that is depicted on a sectional chart. There was no air-to-ground communication in the area, but there was an advisory frequency that was used by the flight schools in the area. The Cessna's pilot reported that he was "...a Cessna 172 holding at FRDDY at 2000 feet." No other radio transmissions were heard from the Cessna, and there were no reports of any radio transmissions from the Piper. Radar information indicated that the Cessna was on a 210-degree course and was tracking at a speed of 86 knots. The Piper was on a course of 160 degrees and was tracking at a speed of 126 knots. Both airplanes converged on the same position, and the collision occurred at about 2,000 feet above ground level. The reported weather about the time of the accident included clear skies and visibility of 10 miles.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piper PA-44-180 | N118TP | Airline Transport Professionals Corp of USA | Substantial |
| Cessna 172R | N369ES | - | Substantial |
Other Piper PA-44 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Cahokia, Illinois, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Inverness, Florida, United States | Orlando Flight Training | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Piru, California, United States | Gavin Aviation | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 Aug 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Adriatic Sea, Croatia | InterCockpit - Pilot Training Network GmbH | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Nov 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States | Flight School of Gwinnett Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Feb 2008 | Piper PA-44-180 | Gila Bend, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 2008 | Cessna 182B | Wildwood, Florida, United States | Henry George Traill | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Dec 2008 | Bell OH-58C | Osceola County, Florida, United States | Helicopter Applicators, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Kimball PITTS MODEL-12 | Weirdales, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jun 2008 | McKeehan James F ACRODUSTER II SA750 | Panama City, Florida, United States | Kevin G. Gorham | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 May 2008 | Beechcraft 65-A90 | Titusville, Florida, United States | Titusville Drop Zone | No injuries | - |
| 29 Aug 2008 | Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp ) 415-C | Sebring, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |