Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ruckle Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Niceville, Florida 32578
Monday, June 9, 2008 11:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A mechanic observed the accident pilot working on the amateur-built accident airplane the day before the accident. The pilot reported that an M8 Allen screw, which was part of the reduction gearbox, had become loose and that he was repairing it. Once the repair was made, the pilot was going to fly the airplane, but remain in the airport traffic pattern. The mechanic observed the airplane depart, but did not observe the airplane's return. An eyewitness, on a road parallel to the runway, observed the airplane flying "just above the tree tops" on the downwind leg for the south runway. She saw it turn onto the base leg and then onto the final leg, but lost sight of the airplane when it descended below the tree tops. She then heard the airplane impact the ground. The eyewitness added that the airplane did not appear "to be out of control." Examination of the airframe and engine, including the M8 Allen screw, did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, and fuel was observed in the right wing fuel tank. The leading edge of the left wing was bent aft from the spanwise midpoint to the wingtip. The propeller blades exhibited damage consistent with rotation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's loss of control during landing for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/9/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1130 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Niceville |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32578 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 303106N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0862611W |
| Event Location Airport | Ruckle Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FL17 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 67 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DTS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 23 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| 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 | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25191 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 9 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 11 2009 3:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Birmingham FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N652DM |
| NTSB Number | NYC08FA211 |
| 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 | Avid Aircraft |
| Aircraft Model | Mark IV Aerobat |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1108D |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1050 |
| 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 | May 29 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 507 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Donald M Marco Jr |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Niceville |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32578 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Donald M. Marco Jr. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Niceville |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32578 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FL17 |
| Departure City | Niceville |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FL17 |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 9 2009 8:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 3300 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |