Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Jekyll Island, Georgia 31527
Sunday, May 4, 2008 11:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness saw the amateur-built airplane flying parallel to a beach and thought that the engine sounded unusual. He did not observe anything else abnormal about the flight. Examination of the airplane revealed that it had impacted the water in a landing attitude, with the wings level. The impact separated the upper cabin, propeller and engine gearbox. The engine remained partially attached by it mounts. After recovery, the airplane and engine showed no evidence of precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. Autopsy and toxicology findings indicated that the pilot had severe coronary artery disease, an enlarged and thickened heart, and poorly controlled diabetes. There were no indications that the pilot was aware of these medical conditions and the relevance of the conditions to the accident could not be determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Controlled flight into water for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/4/2008
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Jekyll Island
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31527
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 310417N
Event Location Longitude 0812524W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 154
Weather Observation Facility ID SSI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25438
NTSB Notification Source U.S. Coast Guard
NTSB Notification Date May 4 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2009 3:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA Atlanta FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14GG
NTSB Number MIA08LA096
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 Garrett Gerald P
Aircraft Model Cozy Mark IV
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 573
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
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 Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Gerald P. Garrett
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Brunswick
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 31523
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Gerald P. Garrett
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Brunswick
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 31523
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 BQK
Departure City Brunswick
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code BQK
Destination City Brunswick
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2009 3:50PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --