Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Coral Springs, Florida 33071
Monday, November 15, 1999 17:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was maneuvering the airplane between 250 and 300 feet when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot pulled back on the control stick to gain altitude. The nose pitched down ward about 45 degrees, the left wing dropped down, and the airplane collided with the everglades. The engine was removed from the airframe and transported to an authorized FAA approved repair station. The engine was placed in a test cell, started, developed rated power, and achieved takeoff power. The Electronics International Inc., FL-2R (fuel quantity indicator) was removed from the airplane and examined in the presence of the FAA. Information retrieved from the computer revealed the right fuel tank stopped using fuel about 50 minutes before the accident, and the left fuel tank would of been emptied at the time of the accident. The fuel selector valve was found selected on the left fuel tank. Toxicology results revealed the pilot was using a sedating prescription antidepressant drug.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering (VSO) resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent in-flight collision with water. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper fuel management resulting in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and the pilot's use of a sedating prescription antidepressant drug.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/15/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | CORAL SPRINGS |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33071 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| 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 | 1453 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FLL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 11 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2500 |
| 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) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1556 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 16 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1415 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2001 10:06AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N561L |
| NTSB Number | MIA00LA025 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Frederick |
| Aircraft Model | ROCKET II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | ROCKET II |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4003 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1900 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 7 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 70 |
| Airframe Hours | 232 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DAVID E. BRATTAIN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 23110 RED OAK TRAIL |
| Aircraft Owner City | TOMBALL |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 77375 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | WILLIAM G. WOOD |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 23 PORT SIDE DRIVE |
| Operator City | FORT LAUDERDALE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 33316 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FLL |
| Departure City | FORT LAUDERDALE |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1519 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FXE |
| Destination City | FORT LAUDERDALE |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 10 2001 10:06AM |
| 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 | -- |