Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Topsail Beach, North Carolina 28445
Sunday, September 3, 2006 13:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, while at 2,000 feet in cruise flight he heard a "loud bang," and then the airplane vibrated uncontrollably. The pilot bailed out safely. According to the Topsail Beach Police Department, several witnesses on the beach stated the airplane was flying at an altitude of about 200-feet performing aerobatic maneuvers over the ocean strand. The witnesses stated that it looked like the engine separated from the front of the airplane. The engine and propeller have not been recovered. An FAA Inspector stated the pilot has not given the FAA permission to inspect the airplane wreckage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The in-flight separation of the engine and propeller from the airframe for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the airplane's uncontrolled impact with water.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/3/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1345
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Topsail Beach
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28445
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342147N
Event Location Longitude 0773719W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID NCA
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20783
NTSB Notification Source FAA Com Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 3 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2006 9:08AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Greensboro FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N225FL
NTSB Number ATL06CA125
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 Brown Floyd L
Aircraft Model Christen Eagle II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 308005010209
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 60.7
Airframe Hours 60.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Floyd L. Brown
Aircraft Owner Street Address 154 Jarvis Ln
Aircraft Owner City Chinquapin
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 28521
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 PVT
Departure City Chinquapin
Departure State NC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1330
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 17 2006 2:09PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
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 --