Aircraft Lost It's Right Wing Prior To Impact With The
Ground
The Cessna 337 which went down during a military exercise near
Avon Park in central Florida on November 17 lost most of its
starboard wing before impacting the ground. Three people were
fatally injured in the accident. All three were civilian
contractors.
NTSB Identification: ERA11FA066
14 CFR Public Use
Accident occurred Wednesday, November 17, 2010 in Avon Park,
FL
Aircraft: CESSNA M337B, registration: N1309
Injuries: 3 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may
contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
On November 17, 2010, about 2053 eastern standard time, a Cessna
M337B, N1309, impacted terrain following an in-flight separation of
the right wing near Avon Park, Florida. The airplane was operated
by Patriot Technologies Group, LLC. The commercial pilot and two
pilot-rated crewmembers were killed. Night instrument
meteorological conditions were present in the area, and no flight
plan was filed for the public use flight. The local flight
originated at MacDill Air Force Base Auxiliary Field (AGR), Avon
Park, Florida, about 1920.
The purpose of the flight was to provide aerial support to an
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) training exercise.
According to the operator, the flight, call sign Jedi 21, was in
contact with AGR tower at the time of the accident. The flight was
returning to base after the weather reportedly began to
deteriorate. Avon Park tower instructed Jedi 21 to report a
two-mile final for runway 5. When Jedi 21 did not report final, a
search and rescue response was initiated. The wreckage was located
about 0118 on November 18.
Pilot Information
The certificated commercial pilot, who was acting as
pilot-in-command and was seated in the left cockpit seat, held
airplane single and multi-engine land ratings and an instrument
airplane rating. He was also a certificated flight instructor. He
reported 6,200 civilian flight hours on his FAA second-class
medical certificate application, dated December 29, 2009.
A certificated private pilot was seated in the right cockpit
seat. He was assigned duties to support the training exercise that
included operating on-board tactical equipment. A certificated
commercial pilot was seated in the aft, right seat. He was assigned
duties that included operating on-board communications
equipment.
According to the operator, the duties of the crewmember
occupying the right cockpit seat did not include flying the
airplane.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Cessna M337B, serial number 337M-0015.
The airplane was originally built as an O-2A for the U.S. Air
Force. It was powered by two Teledyne Continental model IO-360-D
engines, each rated at 210 horsepower at 2,800 rpm.
Meteorological Information
AGR does not have weather reporting facilities. The 2055
EST weather observation for Bartow, Florida (BOW), located 28 miles
NW of AGR included the following: surface winds from 100 degrees at
6 knots, sky clear, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 21
degrees Celsius, dew point 19 degrees Celsius, and altimeter
setting of 30.12 inches of mercury.
A preliminary examination of infrared satellite images for the
period showed a short east-to-west band of cumulus congestus type
clouds, with rain shower activity, near the area of the accident
site.
Wreckage And Impact Information
The main wreckage was found adjacent to a retention pond
and swamp that were located on a farm pasture. The initial impact
crater, measuring 7 feet wide by 9 feet long by 3 feet deep,
contained the cockpit instrument panel, forward engine, forward
propeller hub, and one blade of the forward propeller. A ground
scar consistent with the thickness and length of the left wing
leading edge was adjacent to the impact crater.
The wreckage path was oriented on a heading of 130 degrees. The
left and right tail booms, vertical stabilizers and rudders,
horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and a section of the left wing
were found in the retention pond. The aft engine was resting
inverted on the edge of the pond. All propeller blades were located
within the area of the main wreckage.
Two sections of the right wing were found northwest of the main
wreckage impact crater. The outboard section of the right wing,
from the aileron to the wing tip, was found about 800 feet
northwest of the impact crater. The aileron remained attached.
Another section of the right wing, which included a section of
right wing flap, was found about 330 feet northwest of the impact
crater.
The wreckage was recovered to a storage facility in Groveland,
Florida where a more detailed examination of the wreckage will be
performed.
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (11.28.25): Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)
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