British Aerospace BA-3100 incident near Fort Myers, Florida, August 17, 1991
On August 17, 1991 at about 11:03 am local time, a British Aerospace BA-3100, registered N3155, was involved in an incident near Fort Myers, Florida (Unknown airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125). 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PHYSIOLOGICAL INCAPACITATION OF THE CAPTAIN AND HIS LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS DUE TO A SYNCOPAL PLEURAL EVENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1991 · about 11:03 am local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Unknown · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- British Aerospace BA-3100
- Registration
- N3155 · registry record · serial 902
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · large-aircraft private carriage rules (Part 125)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 11,000 FT MSL THE CAPTAIN LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE FIRST OFFICER TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND EXECUTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING TO AN AIRPORT SHORT OF THE DESTINATION. DURING THE DESCENT THE FIRST OFFICER ADMINISTERED OXYGEN TO THE CAPTAIN AND HE RECOVERED. MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AND TESTS REVEALED THAT THE CAPTAIN DID NOT HAVE SYSTEMIC MEDICAL PROBLEMS AND THE FLIGHT SURGEON STATED THE LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS WAS MOST LIKELY DUE TO A SYNCOPAL PLEURAL EVENT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,400 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 15,000 lb
- Seats: 19
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Unknown UNKNOWN (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 4:00 am
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from FMY, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 16 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.