Lee David VELOCITY N81VA
29 March 1989 · Ponte Vedra Bch, Florida, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 29 March 1989 at about 21:00 local time, a Lee David VELOCITY registered N81VA was involved in an accident near Ponte Vedra Bch, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 21:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Ponte Vedra Bch, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 30.2308, -81.3805
- Aircraft
- Lee David VELOCITY
- Registration
- N81VA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- St. Augustine → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA89LA117
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
FAILURE THROUGH AN OVERSIGHT TO REMOVE THE CANARD GAP SEALS PRIOR TO AGGRAVATED STALL TESTING WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERING AN UNCONTROLLABLE FLIGHT REGIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLT AT 10,000 FT TO PERFORM SOME MANEUVERS WITH THE CG AT THE MOST REARWARD LIMITS. THE ACFT WAS PLACED INTO AN 'AGGRAVATED STALL' DURING WHICH THE ACFT ENTERED A 'DEEP STALL'. ALL CONVENTIONAL & UNCONVENTIONAL MEANS OF REGAINING CONTROL OF THE ACFT, INCLUDING THE PLT CLIMBING OUT OF THE COCKPIT & LEANING AS FAR FWD AS POSSIBLE, FAILED TO RECOVER CONTROL OF THE ACFT. AT ONE POINT, THE PLT CONSIDERED BAILING OUT, BUT CHANGED HIS MIND DUE TO THE ZERO BANK, ZERO FWD SPEED, ZERO YAW & SLOW DESCENT TOWARD THE OCEAN. AFTER THE HARD VERTICAL IMPACT, THE PLT RELEASED HIS HARNESS & STEPPED INTO THE WATER. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED & AN EXAM REVEALED THAT THE CANARD GAP SEALS WHICH HAD BEEN INSTALLED TO ENHANCE PITCH AUTHORITY OF THE CANARD ON THE PREV FLT, WERE STILL IN PLACE DUE TO AN OVERSIGHT. WITH THE GAP SEALS INSTALLED, THE CANARD PITCH AUTHORITY EXCEEDED THE AUTHORITY OF THE WING.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar 1989 | Cessna 172H | Melbourne, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1989 | Piper AEROSTAR 600 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Top Flight Air Service | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Mar 1989 | Bellanca 7KCAB | Daytona Bch Shr, Florida, United States | Aerial Messages, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 1989 | Beechcraft C-45H | Tampa, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1989 | Coutz QUICKIE Q-2 | Lake City, Florida, United States | Rowe, Reardon L. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Apr 1989 | Cessna 150M | Miramar, Florida, United States | Tursair, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |