Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boynton Beach, Florida 33437
Saturday, December 28, 1996 16:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot took off in a motor-glider and climbed using engine power until joining up with another glider. He made a normal engine shutdown and glided for about 3 hours. While returning to the gliderport, the flight ran out of thermals, and the pilot elected to start the engine. The pilot could not remember if he turned on electric power to the engine or if the engine turned when he engaged the starter switch. He also did not know if he attained enough airspeed in the dive to airstart the engine. The engine did not start, and a forced landing was made in a swamp. After the aircraft was recovered, the engine was started, but would not obtain full power until the fuel filter was changed. The pilot stated he was not sure if this was the problem, since the engine ran fine until the normal shutdown.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the engine to restart for undetermined reason(s), after gliding (sailing) for about 3 hours, resulting in a forced landing in a swamp.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BOYNTON BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33437
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1498
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 28 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1854
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N25RJ
NTSB Number MIA97LA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Issoire-Aviation
Aircraft Model PIK-30
Aircraft Series Identifier PIK-30
Aircraft Serial Number 721
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Glider
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 19 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 938
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEUFORD N. WILLIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10084 DENOEU ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BOYNTON BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33437
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code IX4
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --