Amateur-built VELOCITY accident near Merritt Island, Florida, March 4, 1988
On March 4, 1988 at about 12:10 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY, registered N128JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, 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
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
- March 4, 1988 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY
- Registration
- N128JM · no longer on the register · serial DM048
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CHECKING THE STALL CHARACTERISTICS OF A HOMEBUILT ACFT, THE ACFT DESCENDED IN A STALLED CONDITION UNTIL CRASHING INTO A RIVER. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO LOWER THE NOSE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT HE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED BAFFLES IN THE FUEL TANKS RESULTING IN AN INCREASE OF 20 GALLONS. IF THE ANGLE OF ATTACK WERE NOSE HIGH FUEL WOULD SHIFT AFT RESULTING IN AN OUT OF LIMIT AFT C.G. THE FUSELAGE HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY LEVELLED RESULTING IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. AS A RESULT THE POSITION OF THE AIRFOIL SHAPED TANKS LOCATED FWD OF EACH WING & BONDED TO THE FUSELAGE WERE IMPROPERLY POSITIONED. THE FUEL TANKS ARE PART OF THE WING & PROVIDE LIFT. THIS MOVED THE CENTER OF LIFT FWD, & WITH THE AFT SHIFTING OF FUEL RESULTED IN THE NOSE HIGH DESCENT. ACCORDING TO A PLT WHO HAS FLOWN A SIMILARLY DESIGNED ACFT, DURING FLT TESTING IT STALLED & DESCENDED IN THE SAME ATTITUDE OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT. RECOVERY OCCURRED WHEN HE ADDED AND MAINTAINED FULL 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,069 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 10,000 as pilot in command; 345 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merritt Island FL at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 am from TIX, 12 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.