Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sebastain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sebastian, Florida 32958
Saturday, February 3, 2001 14:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
This was the first test flight for this experimental airplane. As the airplane climbed through 2000 feet and accelerated to approximately 135 knots, the pilot reported that the left winglet began to flutter. When left rudder was applied, the flutter condition lessen, but when right rudder was applied the flutter became more severe. The pilot attempted an emergency landing in a field near the departure airport. Upon touchdown, the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. Examination of the airplane disclosed errors in composite construction in the left and right wings, along with errors in bonding techniques for metal to fiber structures were revealed in the design of the aircraft.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The manufacturer's inadequate design of the winglet/rudder assembly, and inadequate bonding techniques for metal to fiber structures, which resulted in control surface flutter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/3/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | SEBASTIAN |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32958 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | SEBASTAIN |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X26 |
| 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 | 1952 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VRB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 25 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 7 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.14 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10211 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 3 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1400 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 7 2002 9:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | ORLANDO FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N658SE |
| NTSB Number | ATL01LA029 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Robert D. Wood |
| Aircraft Model | VELOCITY XLFG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3FX-017 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2700 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 2 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ROBERT D. WOODS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2311 north west Lake view drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Sebring |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33870 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BRENDEN J. O'RIORDAN |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 13450 7TH STREET |
| Operator City | BELLSMERE |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32948 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | X26 |
| Departure City | SEBASTIAN |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | X26 |
| Destination City | SEBASTIAN |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2004 9:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\HAMG |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |