Amateur-built ZODIAC 601 accident near Fernandina Bch, Florida, May 28, 1995
On May 28, 1995 at about 7:15 pm local time, a amateur-built ZODIAC 601, registered N18FL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fernandina Bch, Florida (Fernandina Beach 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 FAILURE OF MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL TO ADEQUATELY TORQUE THE PROPELLER BOLTS DURING THE LAST INSPECTION RESULTING IN THE BOLT FAILURES AND THE LOSS OF THE PROPELLER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1995 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fernandina Bch, Florida · Fernandina Beach
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ZODIAC 601
- Registration
- N18FL · registry record · serial 6-3073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN THE PILOT OF THE HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE NOTED THE PROPELLER FLEW OFF THE ENGINE. HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A MARSH SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER RETENTION BOLTS REVEALED FRACTURE SURFACES WITH SIGNATURES CONSISTENT WITH FATIGUE DUE TO UNDERTORQUE.
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
- Flight time: 137 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1995; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55J FL
- Destination: 55J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from CRG, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N18FL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA95LA140.