# Accident 20210330006129A: Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250-SP, Fort Pierce, FL, March 30, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 30, 2021, 11:00 local time
- Place: Fort Pierce, FL
- Airport: Treasure Coast International A
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4943° N, 80.5390° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4943&lon=-80.5390&mi=10
- Aircraft: N236X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N236X-2023-02-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Jabiru USA Sport J250-SP (registry code 060001T, https://openairdocs.org/model/jabiru-usa-sport-j250-sp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Jabiru 3300 (registry code 34801, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-3300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JABIRU USA SPORT AIRCRAFT LLC J250-SP
- Reported engine: JABIRU 3300
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 100 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA166) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210330006129A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT OF N236X, AN SLSA JABIRU SPORT AIRCRAFT ON 03/30/2021 DEPARTED FT. PIERCE (KFPR) ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT TO THE WEST OF THE AIRPORT AND AFTER 10 MINUTES OR SO STARTED TO EXPERIENCE ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND THEN SMOOTHED OUT. THE PILOT STATED HE TURNED TO RETURN AT 2500 FEET AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN. HE CONTACTED THE TOWER AND RECEIVED A STRAIGHT CLEARANCE FROM 13 MILES OUT. HE STATED HE PERFORMED IN FLIGHT OPS CHECKS TO INCLUDE CARB HEAT AND MAG CHECKS. THE CARB HEAT DID NOT HELP, AND REMAINED ON WHILE CHECKING THE MAGS, WITH NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE HOWEVER, WHEN CYCLED TO THE LEFT THE ENGINE STOPPED THEREFORE, RETURNED BACK TO BOTH. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SHAKING AT THIS POINT AND HELD HIS 65 KNOT LANDING SPEED HOWEVER COULD NOT MAINTAIN HIS ALTITUDE. HE THEN ADVISED THE TOWER HE WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD ALONGSIDE A CANAL. THE TOWER OBTAINED HIS POSITION AND DISPATCHED RESPONDERS. THE PILOT STATED AS HE WAS LINED UP WITH THE ROAD AND SETTING IT DOWN THE RIGHT WING CLEARED SOME SMALLER SHRUBBERY/ BRAMBLE, THAT?S WHEN THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE BRAMBLE, SWUNG THE PLANE AND PROPELLED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE CANAL. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE LEFT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE WING BOX, AND THE RIGHT WING SIGNIFICANT SPAR DAMAGE. THE CABIN WAS SUBMERGED IN WATER AND AIRFRAME SKIN WAS TORN IN SEVERAL PLACES, WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FLAPS. THE PROPELLER BLADES SPLIT, THE NOSE CONE CRUSHED BUT REMAINED INTACT AND THE ENGINE MOUNTS WERE SNAPPED. A FUEL SAMPLE WAS TAKEN DURING DRAINING AND APPEARED NORMAL IN COLOR, SUFFICIENT GAS ONBOARD AND BOTH SELECTORS WERE IN THE ON POSITION. FURTHER EVALUATION WILL INVOLVE RUNNING THE ENGINE AND TEARDOWN IF REQUIRED, IF RUNNING THE ENGINE DOES NOT SHOW IMMEDIATE INDICATION OR MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT SUSTAINED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. THIS REPORT IS CLOSED AWAITING FURTHER ACTION AND AMENDMENTS AS REQUIRED. A CALL WAS MADE TO THE ST. LUCIE SHERIFF?S DEPARTMENT FOR THE POLICE REPORT AND ANY PICTURES AS APPLICABLE AND A FULL REPORT FROM THE TOWER HAS BEEN OBTAINED AND MADE AVAILABLE.

## 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 ERA21LA166](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA166), Mar 30, 2021: Jabiru USA Sport J250-SP (N236X), Fort Pierce, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on available information.

## Other reports on N236X (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20140506005919I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140506005919I), May 6, 2014: Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft LLC J250-SP (N236X), Leesburg, FL, Minor damage. Aircraft landed at klee runway 31 on center line. When the pilot applied brakes, the aircraft veered left and departed runway. Aircraft sustained minor damage…

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.

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