Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT accident near Placida, Florida, November 16, 1987
On November 16, 1987 at about 7:52 pm local time, a amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT, registered N44JM, was destroyed in an accident near Placida, Florida (Rotonda airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1987 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Placida, Florida · Rotonda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT STEEN SKYB
- Registration
- N44JM · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE ENG THE PLT HEARD IT BACKFIRE & THEN OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENG COWLING. HE THEN IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE ACFT & LEFT THE SCENE TO SUMMON THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. HE LATER RETURNED TO FIND THE AIRCRAFT CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND NO FIRE GUARD WAS POSTED OUTSIDE THE ACFT DURING THE ENG START. IT IS CONSIDERED GOOD GENERAL PRACTICE TO CONTINUE MOTORING THE ENG AFTER A BACKFIRE TO BLOW EXISTING FIRE OUT OF THE ENG AREA THROUGH THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,481 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 5,285 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 865 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: X14 Labelle FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FMY, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.