Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Wellington Aero Club Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wellington, Florida 33414
Monday, February 17, 2014 12:50 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
On February 17, 2014, about 1250 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur built, Williams Sonex, N732SX, collided with terrain during an uncontrolled descent after departing the Wellington Aero Club (FD38), West Palm Beach, Florida. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating from FD38 at the time of the accident.
According to witnesses, as the airplane climbed after takeoff the engine backfired and began to sputter. The airplane made a steep 180 degree left turn, back towards the airport and went into a nose down attitude. The airplane began to spiral downward and collided with a pond. Witnesses attempted to assist the pilot and reported the downed airplane to the local 911 operator at 1255.
The wreckage was located partially submerged in a pond 3 feet deep, 200 yards from the departure end of runway 15. The airplane was on a 109 degree magnetic heading, and was 3 feet from the ponds edge. The airplane was removed from the pond for examination, and all major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine was separated from the firewall, impact damaged, and still attached to the engine mounts. The cockpit, fuselage, wings, and empennage were impact damaged. Flight control continuity from the cockpit controls to the flight control surfaces was confirmed. A cursory examination of the engine confirmed valve train continuity and compression on all cylinders.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/17/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1250 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Wellington |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33414 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 263847N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0801739E |
| Event Location Airport | Wellington Aero Club |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FD38 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 109 |
| Airport Elevation | 20 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 78 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PBI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 20 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KPBI 171753Z VRB06KT 10SM FEW043 FEW250 25/1 |
| 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) | -- |
| 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 | Feb 24 2014 10:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N732SX |
| NTSB Number | ERA14FA123 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | WILLIAMS CHRISTOPHER T |
| Aircraft Model | SONEX |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 732 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1100 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MCGARITY LEONARD W |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WELLINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33414-8351 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MCGARITY LEONARD W |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | WELLINGTON |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 33414-8351 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FD38 |
| Departure City | Wellington |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1250 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FD38 |
| Destination City | Wellington |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2014 10:10AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |