Czech Sport SPORTCRUISER accident near Naples, Florida, December 22, 2018
On December 22, 2018 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2015 Czech Sport SPORTCRUISER, registered N564SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Naples, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Collision with a bird in flight, which resulted in damage to the engine, a fuel leak, and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2018 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Sport SPORTCRUISER No Series, built 2015
- Registration
- N564SC · no longer on the register · serial C0524
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the passenger, the pilot fueled the airplane before takeoff. While en route, about 2,500 ft above ground level, the airplane struck a large bird. The engine continued to operate for about 2 minutes, until the "low fuel" warning indicator illuminated, and then the engine lost total power. The pilot declared an emergency and performed a forced landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a road sign and several large trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the nosewheel fairing and the underside of the engine cowling displayed evidence of a bird strike. Examination of the engine revealed that the carburetor was leaking fuel. The damage to the carburetor could not be definitively attributed to the bird strike alone. However, given that the airplane had been fueled immediately before the flight, that a low fuel warning was annunciated shortly after the bird strike, and that the bird had impacted an area in the vicinity from which fuel was leaking, it is likely that the bird strike damaged the fuel system, which resulted in fuel draining from the airplane, subsequent fuel exhaustion, and a total loss of engine power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: October 10, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jrs Flying Club Llc
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from APF, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 13, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.