Wejebe Jose CA8-SF N548SF

Summary

On 6 April 2012 at about 20:45 local time, a Wejebe Jose CA8-SF registered N548SF, operated by Jose Wejebe, was involved in an accident near Everglades City, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 April 2012 at 20:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Everglades City, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Everglades Airpark (X01)

Coordinates

25.8528, -81.3903

Aircraft

Wejebe Jose CA8-SF

Registration

N548SF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jose Wejebe

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Everglades City → Merritt Island

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12FA271

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the airplane depart the airport to the north and make an abrupt right turn at an altitude of about 150 feet. One witness, who was also a pilot, described the wings as “shimmying,” appearing as if the airplane stalled before it banked to the right in a nose-down attitude. The airplane crashed and was nearly consumed during the postcrash fire. A postaccident examination was conducted with no preimpact mechanical anomalies noted. Records indicate that the pilot built the airplane from a kit about 6 years before the accident. The pilot and airplane logbooks were not located during the investigation; therefore, the maintenance history for the airplane, and the pilot’s recent (and total) flight experience could not be determined. Postaccident toxicological testing revealed metabolites of the drug diazepam (Valium) in the pilot’s blood and urine. Valium is a prescription benzodiazepine classed as a central nervous system depressant and tranquilizer, used as a sleep aid and to inhibit anxiety. The amount noted in the pilot’s blood suggested he took the drug 12 to 24 hours before the accident, and, as a result, it would not have affected his performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.