Kevin Eldredge Stewart accident near Ocala, FL
On March 6, 2009, a Kevin Eldredge Stewart (airplane) was involved in an accident near Ocala, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 6, 2009
- Place
- Ocala, FL
- Aircraft
- Kevin Eldredge Stewart · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 29.218°N, 82.151°W
- NTSB ID
- 20090306X81813
Official records · ERA09LA184
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 6, 2009, about 1453 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Stewart S51, N551X, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain in a recreational vehicle park in Ocala, Florida. The owner/pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The personal test flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector and the pilot's relatives, the pilot was not the builder of the airplane, and he was its third owner. The pilot had just started the first phase of the flight test program, and the airplane's first flight by the accident pilot occurred on the day prior to the accident. The pilot told his wife that it was a "beautiful" flight, and his notes indicated that the duration was "0.3" hours. A total of 17 witnesses provided information regarding the final portion of the accident flight. Almost all reported that the airplane was flying at a low altitude, and some reported it to be flying at a low speed. Nine witnesses reported that the engine was "sputtering" or making unusual sounds, and five witnesses, including a Florida Highway Patrol officer, observed that the engine was not operating. Most witnesses reported that the airplane was west- or north-bound and descending. Several reported that the airplane banked sharply in order to avoid a cell phone tower. They also reported that it struck trees in the final few seconds of flight. The airplane
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to contamination and clogging of the fuel system by a post-assembly fuel tank sealant.
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Browse: Florida
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
