New Hibiscus Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vero Beach, Florida 32963
Saturday, August 23, 1986 11:05 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

FLIGHT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 200 FEET SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND COMING TO REST ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF AIRCRAFT RECORDS REVEALED THE WRONG MODEL CARBURETOR FOR THE ENGINE WAS INSTALLED AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OPERATING WITH A RICH MIXTURE DUE TO A CARBURETOR PROBLEM. WORK HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE CARBURETOR TO CORRECT THE RICH MIXTURE. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE MIXTURE CONTROL ARM WAS WIRED AT THE 40 TO 50 PERCENT OF TRAVEL FROM LEAN TO RICH AND THAT THE FUEL SHUTOFF NEEDLE VALVE WAS WORN EXCESSIVELY CAUSING THE NEEDLE VALVE TO NOT SEAT ON OCCASION. NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1105
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City VERO BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32963
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEW HIBISCUS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X52
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 25
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1055 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 24
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
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) 1800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 23 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31812
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23266
NTSB Number MIA86FA239
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 3113
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 28 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 4066
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT ASSC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 762
Aircraft Owner City VERO BEACH
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32960
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1104
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3300
Runway Width 160
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --