Amateur-built VJ22 (SPORTSMAN) accident near Seminole, Florida, December 6, 1996
On December 6, 1996 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built VJ22 (SPORTSMAN), registered N2921, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seminole, Florida. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate maintenance/inspection of the airplane by the pilot/owner, and fuel contamination that resulted in fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1996 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Seminole, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VJ22 (SPORTSMAN) VJ22 (SPOR
- Registration
- N2921 · registry record · serial 206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff and while circling the departure lake, the engine lost power as the pilot was adjusting the fuel/air ratio. He pushed the mixture control to full rich and applied the emergency procedures, but engine power was not restored. He initiated a descent for a forced landing on the lake, but was unable to clear a bridge, so he maneuvered the airplane for a landing on a canal. While descending, the right sponson collided with a tree. The airplane then crashed into the canal coming to rest upright. After the accident, the engine was started, and it operated normally. Further examination by the pilot/owner revealed blockage of the fuel tank outlet screen. The pilot further stated that the fuel tank had been reinstalled in May 1996, after being out of the airplane for 20 years. Also, he said he had previously noticed similar contaminant in the gascolator screen.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 3, 1996; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from SPG
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.
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 MIA97LA035.