# NTSB ERA13LA254: Fleming Eldridge E Sonex, N634SX, Naples, FL, May 26, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 26, 2013, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Naples, FL - Coordinates: 26.017778, -81.686668 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0178&lon=-81.6867&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 23, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 86998 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA13LA254 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86998/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86998 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13LA254 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed during a forced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of the noncertificated engine’s power for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056175C), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis About 5 minutes after takeoff and at a cruise altitude of 2,000 feet above ground level, the engine lost oil pressure and partial power. The pilot was unable to maintain the airplane's altitude and flew toward a golf course to conduct a forced landing. During short final approach, he turned the airplane left to better align it with a fairway, but the airplane stalled and impacted a canal. The airplane was equipped with a noncertificated, modified automobile engine. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any cracks in the engine case, oil residue in the engine compartment, or any abnormalities that would have accounted for the sudden loss of oil pressure and partial engine power. ## Factual narrative On May 26, 2013, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Sonex, N634SX, operated by a private individual, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a canal, following a partial loss of engine power during cruise flight near Naples, Florida. The private pilot was seriously injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Naples Municipal Airport (APF), Naples, Florida, about 1125. No flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Immokalee Regional Airport (IMM), Immokalee, Florida. The pilot reported that the airplane was built in 2004 and he purchased it on March 3, 2011. Prior to the accident flight, the airplane had not flown for approximately 2 years while he refurbished it. It received an annual condition inspection on April 20, 2013. The pilot then operated the airplane for about 3 hours on the ground, conducting taxi tests and making minor adjustments to the airframe and engine. During the accident flight, he departed runway 5 at APF and flew east toward IMM. About 5 minutes after takeoff, at 2,000 feet mean sea level, then engine lost oil pressure, partial power, and began to vibrate. The pilot initially flew toward Marco Island Airport (MKY), Marco Island, Florida; however, the airplane was losing altitude and he did not think the airplane would make it to that airport. He then flew toward a golf course. During short final approach, he turned left to better align the airplane with a fairway, but the airplane stalled and impacted a canal prior to the golf course. The pilot added that the propeller continued to rotate until impact. The airplane was equipped with an Aerovee 2180, 80-horsepower, fuel-injected engine, which was a modified Volkswagen engine. At the time of its most recent annual condition inspection, the airplane and engine had accumulated about 34 total hours of operation. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the accident site was about 1.25 miles from MKY. The wreckage was recovered from the canal about 3 days after the accident. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any cracks in the engine case or oil residue in the engine compartment. With the exception of a disconnected oil breather tube, the FAA inspector did not observe any preimpact anomalies. The pilot added that the oil breather tube was "flimsy" and most likely separated during impact. He further stated that there was no evidence of an oil leak in the air or on the ground. He was also near the canal for 45 minutes after the accident and did not observe any fuel or oil sheen on the water. The pilot did not know why the engine lost oil pressure and power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N634SX](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N634SX-2018-01-05), registration cancelled 2018-01-05, S/N 0634, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FLEMING ELDRIDGE E SONEX - Registry model: [Fleming Eldridge E SONEX](https://openairdocs.org/model/fleming-eldridge-e-sonex) (registry code 056175C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0634 - Year built: 2004 - Airframe hours: 37 - Engines: Aerovee 2180 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: David Rynders - Registered owner: David Rynders - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 20, 2013, 3 hours before - Departed: APF, Naples, FL - Destination: IMM, Immokalee, FL - Airport: MKY, Marco Island Airport, runway 17, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 15, 2011; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,360 total, 20 in this make and model, 1,200 as pilot in command, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 10 knots, gusting 15 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: APF, 11 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130526008279A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130526008279A), May 26, 2013: Fleming Eldridge E SONEX, Marco, FL, Destroyed. Aircraft departed naples FL (apf) enroute to immokalee (imm) however, approximately three miles south of departing airport N471LA started experiencing engine's… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 6, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86998. 2.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407692&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 364 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407693&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Interview Summary (item 3, .PDF, 24 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407696&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20Summary-Master.PDF - GPS Plot of Accident Location (item 4, .PDF, 191 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407694&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=GPS%20Plot%20of%20Accident%20Location-Master.PDF - Photograph # 1: Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of Collier Co Sheriff Dept) (item 5, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40407695&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%20%23%201%3A%20%20Main%20Wreckage%20(Photo%20Courtesy%20of%20Collier%20Co%20Sheriff%20Dept)-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.