Hunter VELOCITY N128JM
4 March 1988 · Merritt Island, Florida, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 March 1988 at about 12:10 local time, a Hunter VELOCITY registered N128JM, operated by Neil W. Hunter, was involved in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 12:10
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Merritt Island, Florida, United States
- Coordinates
- 28.3201, -80.6793
- Aircraft
- Hunter VELOCITY
- Registration
- N128JM
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Neil W. Hunter
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Merritt Island → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA88LA203
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE CHECKING THE STALL CHARACTERISTICS OF A HOMEBUILT ACFT, THE ACFT DESCENDED IN A STALLED CONDITION UNTIL CRASHING INTO A RIVER. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT HE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED BAFFLES IN THE FUEL TANKS RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF 20 GALLONS. IF THE ANGLE OF ATTACK WERE NOSE HIGH FUEL WOULD SHIFT AFT RESULTING IN AN OUT OF LIMIT AFT C.G. THE FUSELAGE HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY LEVELLED RESULTING IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. AS A RESULT THE POSITION OF THE AIRFOIL SHAPED TANKS LOCATED FWD OF EACH WING & BONDED TO THE FUSELAGE WERE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED. THE FUEL TANKS ARE PART OF THE WING & PROVIDE LIFT. THIS MOVED THE CENTER OF LIFT FWD, & WITH THE AFT SHIFTING OF FUEL RESULTED IN THE NOSE HIGH DESCENT. ACCORDING TO A PLT WHO HAS FLOWN A SIMILARLY DESIGNED ACFT, DURING FLT TESTING IT STALLED & DESCENDED IN THE SAME ATTITUDE OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT. RECOVERY OCCURRED WHEN HE ADDED AND MAINTAINED FULL POWER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Hunter VELOCITY accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Oct 1992 | Hunter VELOCITY | Apopka, Florida, United States | Hunter, Neil W. | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1988 | Cessna 172N | Vero Beach, Florida, United States | Citrus Grove Aviation, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1988 | Beechcraft A-23 | Fort Myers, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 May 1988 | Rockwell A9B | Marianna, Florida, United States | Panhandle Aviation | Serious injuries | - |
| 25 May 1988 | Cessna 172K | Lake City, Florida, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Jun 1988 | Piper J3C | N Fort Myers, Florida, United States | Walker, David L | Fatal | 2 |
| 3 Jun 1988 | Cessna 172N | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Miller Aircraft, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |