- Date
- August 18, 2023, 20:35 local (Aug 19, 2023, 00:35 UTC)
- Place
- Sopchoppy, FL · Narrow river
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1206JIrwin Jeffrey C Buccaneer Biib
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230818017019A
- Case key
- 193288
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The non-certificated pilot was attempting to land the amphibious airplane on a river. During the landing attempt the airplane bounced, and during the second touchdown the airplane pitched nose down and ultimately nosed over into the water. The airplane subsequently “broke apart” and sank in the river, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. In his initial statement to local law enforcement, the pilot did not state that there were any preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He did not respond to subsequent requests for clarifying information.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1206J
- Reported as
- Irwin Jeffrey C Buccaneer Biib
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BIIBK005
- Built
- 2019
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sale Reported
- Registered owner
- Sale Reported
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- TLH, 20 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KTLH 182353Z 16007KT 10SM FEW050 SCT150 32/24 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP124 TCU DSNT SE T03170239 10367 20317 55002=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 649 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.