# Accident 20140405018929A: Fortuna Dave SONEX-EXPERIMENTAL, Dunellon, FL, April 5, 2014 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 5, 2014, 18:30 local time - Place: Dunellon, FL - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.0308° N, 82.3878° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0308&lon=-82.3878&mi=10 - Aircraft: N229P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N229P-2018-01-03) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Fortuna Dave SONEX-EXPERIMENTAL (registry code 05618BQ, https://openairdocs.org/model/fortuna-dave-sonex-experimental) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FORTUNA DAVE SONEX-EXPERIMENTAL - Reported engine: JABIRU 2200 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14FA464](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA464) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140405018929A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THEODORE WEISS DEPARTED DUNNELLON FLORIDA AIRPORT (X35) ON APRIL 5 2014 AROUND 1400 EST. HEADING TOWARDS HIS BASE OF OPERATION, LEESBURG AIRPORT, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED MISSING AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DIDN?T MAKE IT BACK TO ITS HOME AIRPORT. GROUND SEARCHES WERE MADE IN AND AROUND THE DUNNELLON AIRPORT AREA AND ALONG POSSIBLE PATHS OF FLIGHT AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE WEEKS OF BEING MISSING. ON OCTOBER 19 2014 HIKERS ABOUT 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE DUNNELLON AIRPORT IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA FOUND THE WRECKAGE OF N299P INVERTED RESTING ON THE FOREST FLOOR WITH, THE BODY OF MR. WEISS STILL IN THE COCKPIT. MARION COUNTY SHERIFF?S OFFICE NOTIFIED THE ROC OF THE WRECKAGE BEING FOUND. ON OCTOBER 20 2014 INSPECTOR FROM ORLANDO FSDO PERFORMED ON SCENE INVESTIGATION OF THE CRASH SITE. THE INSPECTOR WAS UNABLE TO SEE DAMAGE TO TREES OR GROUND SINCE THE CRASH WAS SIX MONTHS OLD. THE AIRCRAFT INVERTED ON THE FOREST FLOOR WITH PIECES OF CANOPY AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS SCATTERED ABOUT 500 FEET IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT. THE RIGHT-WING TIP SHEARED OFF FROM HITTING A TREE BEFORE HITTING THE FOREST FLOOR. FORM THE IMPACT OF HITTING THE GROUND THE ENGINE BROKE OFF THE ENGINE MOUNT TRUSS ASSEMBLY AND WAS ABOUT 10 FEET IN FRONT THE AIRCRAFT. ONE BLADE OF THE PROPELLER WAS UNDAMAGED AND THE OTHER WAS BROKEN OFF FROM IMPACT. MR. WEISS?S BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AN INSPECTION OF THE COCKPIT FOUND THE AIRCRAFT MASTER SWITCH AND FUEL SELECTOR VALVE OFF. DURING ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATION BY NTSB INVESTIGATOR FOUND A HOLE IN THE MAIN FUEL SUPPLY LINE FROM THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE TO FIREWALL INSIDE THE COCKPIT. ALSO DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD CONNECTIVITY THROUGHOUT AND ROTATED FREELY. NTSB SENT OUT THE ON BOARD ENGINE MONITORING SYSTEM AND GPS FOR TESTING. FAMILY MEMBERS WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE MR.WEISS?S PILOT LOG BOOKS OR AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOG BOOK. IT IS BELIEVED AT THIS TIME NONE OF THE NINE FAA RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AT FAULT FOR THIS ACCIDENT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ERA14FA464](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14FA464), Apr 5, 2014: Fortuna Dave Sonex (N229P), Dunnellon, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The in-flight collision with a tree in a heavily wooded area during controlled flight while the pilot was attempting a forced landing for reasons that could not be determined based on the available… ## Other reports on N229P (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 20070210001589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070210001589A), Feb 10, 2007: Amtr SONEX (N229P), Atlanta, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) At approximately 1040L on February 10, 2007 aircraft N229P, piloted by [privacy data omitted] impacted a grouping of trees causing substantial damage to… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.