Spruce Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
Saturday, July 17, 1999 16:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying the aircraft for its first flight following recent maintenance work that he had performed on the engine to correct a misalignment of the alternator drive belt. Shortly after takeoff from runway 5, the airplane was observed in a climb. At approximately 700 ft. agl, the engine quit. The airplane descended and impacted a pine tree, then collided with the ground. An examination of the engine following the accident revealed that the wire to the center post of the distributor was disconnected.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to securely reconnect the distributor coil wire during routine maintenance. Factors were the unsuitable terrain and trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32124
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 44J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 50
Airport Elevation 24
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 231
Weather Observation Facility ID PIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 11
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 111
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1129
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 14 2001 3:45PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N102JB
NTSB Number ATL99LA109
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 Blackburn John D. Jr.
Aircraft Model BUSHBY M II
Aircraft Series Identifier BUSHBY M I
Aircraft Serial Number MII-1321
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN D. BLACKBURN, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1826 SPRUCE CREEK BLVD
Aircraft Owner City DAYTONA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32124
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 44J
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1610
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 5
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --