Summary
On January 12, 1998, a Valentin TIAFUN 17E (N16MA) was involved in an incident near Pensacola, FL. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and failure to see-and-avoid an obstruction during a precautionary landing on a paved road. Factors relating to the accident were: the resultant low fuel condition, and an obstruction in the precautionary landing area.
On January 12, 1998, about 1630 central standard time, a Valentin Tiafun 17E, N16MA, registered to a private owner crashed on landing rollout during a precautionary landing in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Pensacola Naval Air Station at an undetermined time.
The pilot stated he was on a VFR flight from Clemson, to Winter Haven, Florida. While in cruise flight he realized he was low on fuel and had misidentified the Gulf of Mexico as the Atlantic Ocean. He made a precautionary landing to a road in a housing subdivision.
This incident is documented in NTSB report MIA98LA059. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N16MA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and failure to see-and-avoid an obstruction during a precautionary landing on a paved road. Factors relating to the accident were: the resultant low fuel condition, and an obstruction in the precautionary landing area.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On January 12, 1998, about 1630 central standard time, a Valentin Tiafun 17E, N16MA, registered to a private owner crashed on landing rollout during a precautionary landing in the vicinity of Pensacola, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The commercial pilot reported no injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Pensacola Naval Air Station at an undetermined time.
The pilot stated he was on a VFR flight from Clemson, to Winter Haven, Florida. While in cruise flight he realized he was low on fuel and had misidentified the Gulf of Mexico as the Atlantic Ocean. He made a precautionary landing to a road in a housing subdivision. The right wing collided with a fence post and the airplane veered to the right, nosed over, and the engine assembly separated from the airframe.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA98LA059