Palm Beach County Glades Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pahokee, Florida 33476
Sunday, September 22, 2013 12:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane was performing a simulated forced landing to the airport runway. As the airplane was in the landing flare, another pilot radioed that the accident airplane's landing gear was still retracted. About that time, the aft mounted propeller struck the runway and the pilot increased power in an attempt to abort the landing. The pilot subsequently lost control of the airplane and it impacted terrain to the side of the runway, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and passenger, and substantial damage to the airframe. Examination of the wreckage following the accident revealed that the landing gear switch was selected to the "UP" position.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to ensure that the landing gear were extended during the simulated forced landing attempt. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot's decision to continue the aborted landing after the propeller had contacted the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Pahokee
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33476
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 264706N
Event Location Longitude 0804136W
Event Location Airport Palm Beach County Glades Arpt
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PHK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 16
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 20
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KPBI 221653Z 17007KT 10SM BKN028CB BKN042 BK
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) 32289
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2014 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N244FM
NTSB Number ERA13CA426
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 MARCONI FRED I JR
Aircraft Model VELOCITY XL/RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 3RX072
Aircraft Serial Number 3RX072
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 2
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 770
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name FEDEMAR CORP
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 198104902
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Fred Marconi
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Sunny Isles
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33160
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code HWO
Departure City Hollywood
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code HWO
Destination City Hollywood
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2014 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 4116
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --