Amateur-built WJS JAYBIRD accident near Tangerine, Florida, August 10, 1999
On August 10, 1999 at about 6:20 pm local time, a amateur-built WJS JAYBIRD, registered N735BS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tangerine, 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
the pilot's improper torqueing of a rocker arm adjusting jam nut, that resulted in the adjuster loosening, and a partial loss of engine power. This resulted in the pilot making an off airport precautionary landing and subsequent nose over, during which the aircraft received substantial damage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1999 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Tangerine, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WJS JAYBIRD WJS JAYBIR
- Registration
- N735BS · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was enroute to Mid Florida Airport, Eustis, Florida, when a partial power loss and the inability to hold altitude necessitated a precautionary landing. The pilot said he executed a landing with a left quartering tailwind due to utility lines and trees blocking an approach into the wind. The aircraft bounced, and on the second bounce the right landing gear bent and the wind lifted the left wing. The aircraft slid, and slowly nosed over, coming to rest upside down, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. According to the pilot, the reason for engine power loss was due to insufficient torque on the jam nut exhaust valve adjuster (rocker arm) to number 4 cylinder.
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: 212 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 660 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen TYPE 1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X61 Zellwood FL at 6:10 pm
- Destination: X55 Eustis FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 11 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from MCO, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 MIA99LA228.