Amateur-built VELOCITY SE accident near Bahia Key, Florida, March 11, 2023
On March 11, 2023 at about 6:31 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built VELOCITY SE, registered N343BD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Bahia Key, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2023 · about 6:31 pm local time
- Place
- Bahia Key, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY SE RG, built 2015
- Registration
- N343BD · no longer on the register · serial SRE 045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The accident flight was a short, 15-minute return flight, from island to island, with about 19 gallons of fuel onboard. Since the pilot had not flown in several months, he veered north of course to practice a slow speed descent and the power settings that he would be using during his landing approach. He slowed and reduced power, which was followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and ditched the airplane in a bay. Postaccident examination of the airplane and fuel-injected engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Fuel, mixed with sea water, was observed in both wing tanks and the center tank. Data were extracted from an onboard engine information system; however, the unit did not contain any relevant engine performance parameters.
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
- Ditching during enroute
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer, remote
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 247.1 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 10, 2023; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 6:21 pm
- Destination: FD51 Summerland Key FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from MTH, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMTH 111753Z AUTO 30008KT 10SM CLR 28/20 A2995
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2024. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memoranda for the Record | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | ADS-B Plot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | 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.