Amateur-built VELOCITY accident near Crystal River, Florida, November 25, 1992
On November 25, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VELOCITY, registered N157JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crystal River, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF AN UNKNOWN INDIVIDUAL TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPELLER WAS PROPERLY SECURED AFTER REMOVAL OF THE PROPELLER SPINNER, RESULTING IN SEPARATION OF ONE OF THE PROPELLER BLADES DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY
- Registration
- N157JM · registry record · serial DM099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, APRX 17 INCHES OF ONE PROP BLADE SEPARATED. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE WATER. EXAM OF THE PROP REVEALED THAT THE FWD HUB WHICH CONTACTS THE FWD MOUNTING FLANGE WAS BURNED. A PROP SPINNER WAS NOT INSTALLED. IT HAD BEEN REMOVED BEFORE THE PLT PURCHASED THE ACFT APRX 9 MONTHS EARLIER. THE PROP SPINNER BACKING PLATE WHICH IS .125 INCH THICK ATTACHES BETWEEN THE FWD MOUNTING FLANGE AND THE FWD HUB OF THE PROP. THE CORRECT PROCEDURE TO DETERMINE IF THE ATTACH BOLTS ARE THE CORRECT LENGTH IS TO INSTALL THEM THROUGH THE AFT MOUNTING FLANGE & THE PROPELLER BACKING PLATE (IF INSTALLED), THEN SCREW THEM INTO THE FWD MOUNTING FLANGE UNTIL THE BOLTS BOTTOM OUT. THE WIDTH BETWEEN THE TWO FLANGES (IF A PROP SPINNER IS NOT INSTALLED) SHOULD BE MEASURED, THEN THE WIDTH OF THE PROP HUB SHOULD BE MEASURED. THE WIDTH OF THE PROP HUB SHOULD BE GREATER THAN THE WIDTH BETWEEN THE FLANGES TO ALLOW FOR COMPRESSION OF THE HUB WHEN THE BOLTS ARE PROPERLY TORQUED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1992; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 2:39 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:47 pm from GNV, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.