Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Winter Haven, Florida 33884
Thursday, September 17, 2009 10:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The flight crew departed from a freshwater lake to conduct takeoffs and landings, including several simulated engine-out landings. The left-seat pilot landed in one of the lakes and then took off. When the airplane was about 400 feet above ground level, the pilot in command, seated in the right seat, announced a simulated engine failure and reduced the power to idle. The left-seat pilot pushed the stick forward to attain an approximately 15-degree nose-down attitude in order to maintain 70 mph and recalled announcing that they were at 70 mph. He then turned left to return to the lake for a landing, as there was no safe place in front to land. Halfway through the turn he visually located the landing spot. Rolling out of the turn into the final approach, in about 10 to 15 degrees of bank, the roll stopped without any change to his flight control inputs. The passenger checked the airspeed and assessed the attitude of the airplane before adding about a third of throttle for additional engine power. At this time, the airplane rolled left and the nose dropped fast. The airplane was low and impacted the water in a vertical position. A witness observed the airplane land and then take off. The plane lifted off and appeared normal until the airplane reached about 100 feet above the water. The airplane dipped to the left and then it seemed to overcorrect itself to the right as it entered the water flat. Examination of the wreckage, engine, and the turbo control unit did not reveal any discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The flightcrew's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering during a simulated engine failure, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and uncontrolled descent.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/17/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Winter Haven |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33884 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 200052N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0814224W |
| 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 | 4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 320 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GIF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 145 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.02 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28458 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 24 2011 1:06PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N563JL |
| NTSB Number | ERA09FA524 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CURTIS JOHN P |
| Aircraft Model | SEA REY |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1MK320C |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 13 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 219 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CURTIS JOHN P |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3390 LAKEVIEW DR |
| Aircraft Owner City | WINTER HAVEN |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33884-3122 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | CURTIS JOHN P |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3390 LAKEVIEW DR |
| Operator City | WINTER HAVEN |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33884-3122 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Lake Eloise |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 940 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Lake Eloise |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 14 2011 1:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |