Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Daytona Beach, Florida 32014
Saturday, June 8, 1985 15:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLT WAS FLYING AT A VERY LOW ALT & WAS MAKING 'S' TURNS WHILE PROCEEDING SOUTHBOUND ALONG A BEACH. DURING THE LAST LEFT TURN TOWARD THE EAST, THE ACFT TURNED FURTHER LEFT TOWARD THE NORTH. WHILE TURNING, THE LEFT WING STRUCK WATER & THE ACFT CRASHED, THEN IT SANK IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE. THE PLT RECEIVED A HEAD INJURY & DROWNED. TOXICOLOGY TESTS SHOWED THE ALCOHOL LEVEL OF HIS BLOOD WAS 0.128%, URINE WAS 0.193% & GASTRIC FLUID WAS 0.117%. HIS LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 2/22/83. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT HEAVY RAIN & STRONG GUSTY WINDS BEGAN SHORTLY AFTER THE PLANE CRASHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1540
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City DAYTONA BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32014
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID DAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 35
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
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) 34
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2500
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1412
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1630
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28778
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99018
NTSB Number MIA85FA187
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 Ercoupe (Eng & Research Corp.)
Aircraft Model 415-C
Aircraft Series Identifier 415-C
Aircraft Serial Number 1641
Certified Max Gross Weight 1260
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. GRIFFITHS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1226 20TH STREET P.O. BOX 221
Aircraft Owner City ORANGE CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32762
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 No
Departure Airport Code DED
Departure City DELAND
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1520
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --