St Augustine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Augustine, Florida 32095
Thursday, July 31, 2008 14:38 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the flight was a demonstration for a prospective buyer. According to witnesses, after becoming airborne and reaching approximately 50 feet above ground level the airplane's engine began to surge. The airplane then entered a bank to the left and impacted a marshy area, producing a debris path approximately 100 feet long. The main wreckage came to rest with the engine partially submerged. All major structural components and flight control surfaces were accounted for at the scene; however, flight control continuity could not be confirmed because of impact damage. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine identified no anomalies that would produce engine surges or a loss of control.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of control in flight due to undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1438
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City St. Augustine
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32095
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 295720N
Event Location Longitude 0812014W
Event Location Airport ST AUGUSTINE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGJ
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 10
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1438 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 13
Weather Observation Facility ID SGJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 10
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25004
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region C-ROC
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2009 5:11PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA/fSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N269VE
NTSB Number MIA08LA152
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 Morris George
Aircraft Model Velocity 173RG
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number DM0269
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 170.7
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Eugene Frederick Powers
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Eugene Powers
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Green Springs
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32043
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 SGJ
Departure City ST AUGUSTINE
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1438
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SGJ
Destination City ST AUGUSTINE
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2009 6:07PM
User who most recently changed record muzd
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 7996
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --