Issoire-Aviation PIK-30 accident near Boynton Beach, Florida, December 28, 1996
On December 28, 1996 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Issoire-Aviation PIK-30 (glider), registered N25RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boynton Beach, 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the engine to restart for undetermined reason(s), after gliding (sailing) for about 3 hours, resulting in a forced landing in a swamp.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 1996 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Boynton Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Issoire-Aviation PIK-30
- Registration
- N25RJ · registry record · serial 721
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off in a motor-glider and climbed using engine power until joining up with another glider. He made a normal engine shutdown and glided for about 3 hours. While returning to the gliderport, the flight ran out of thermals, and the pilot elected to start the engine. The pilot could not remember if he turned on electric power to the engine or if the engine turned when he engaged the starter switch. He also did not know if he attained enough airspeed in the dive to airstart the engine. The engine did not start, and a forced landing was made in a swamp. After the aircraft was recovered, the engine was started, but would not obtain full power until the fuel filter was changed. The pilot stated he was not sure if this was the problem, since the engine ran fine until the normal shutdown.
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; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 631 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 938 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 19, 1996; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 505 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IX4 at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PBI, 17 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.