Location: Titusville, FL
Accident Number: ERA22FA015
Date & Time: October 14, 2021, 15:51 Local
Registration: N755V
Aircraft: Velocity SE RG
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
On October 14, 2021, about 1551 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Velocity SE RG, N755V, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Titusville, Florida. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The pilot owned the airplane and based it at Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX), Titusville, Florida. According to witness statements, radar data and airport surveillance video, the airplane flew uneventfully from TIX to Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Florida during the day of the accident. While at X26, at the airplane kit manufacturer’s facility, the pilot replaced a landing gear up switch fuse as the landing gear was not retracting. The replacement corrected the issue and then the pilot removed the pilot seat and rear seat behind the pilot seat. He left the rear seat at the facility so that maintenance technicians could match color and specifications as the pilot planned to have the interior aesthetics renovated the following month. He then reinstalled the pilot seat and departed X26 uneventfully at 1528 for the return flight.
As the airplane approached runway 9 at TIX, on short final approach, it pitched up, climbed about 300 ft, then descended nose-down in a right spiral. The airplane impacted a grass area about 400 ft right of the runway centerline, and about 2,000 ft from the beginning of the runway. A postcrash fire consumed a majority of the wreckage.
The wreckage came to rest upright, oriented about a 230° magnetic heading, and no debris path was observed. The cockpit and cabin were mostly consumed by fire. The wreckage was further examined following recovery to a salvage facility. The flight control stick was not recovered. The pilot’s seat was identified, and the four bolts and their respective hard points remained attached. The pilot’s seat pin was also identified, but the seat frame was bent and separated, consistent with impact forces. A Grand Rapids primary flight display and multifunction display were recovered and retained for data download.
The left aileron separated from the wing and was recovered near the wing. The right aileron also separated from the right wing and was recovered near its wing. Aileron control continuity was confirmed from the separated ailerons through cables, to a bellcrank, to torque tubes, to the cockpit. The canard spar remained intact and fire damage; however, the left and right elevators were not recovered and presumed destroyed in the fire. The elevator pushrod section that connected to the control stick was recovered with no threaded rod end engaged, and the rod end was not recovered. The pushrod section was retained for metallurgical examination. Continuity of the elevator was confirmed through torque tubes, with the exception of the retained pushrod section, to the cockpit. The elevator trim actuator was destroyed, and the preimpact elevator trim setting could not be determined. The left rudder was identified, and the right rudder was not recovered and presumed destroyed. The left rudder bellcrank remained intact and its cable exhibited a broomstraw separation.
The engine came to rest upright, separated from the airframe. The three composite propeller blades remained attached to the hub and all three blades separated about 12 inches from their respective roots. The top spark plugs were removed; their electrodes were intact and light gray in color. Borescope examination of the cylinders did not reveal any anomalies. The rear accessory section sustained thermal damage. The engine was retained for further examination.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Velocity
Registration: N755V
Model/Series: SE RG
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: VMC
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TIX,33 ft msl
Observation Time: 15:47 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 32°C /21°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 6000 ft AGL
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 9 knots / , 80°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 7 miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.91 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Sebastian, FL (X26)
Destination: Titusville, FL
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 28.513889,-80.804444
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation may contact them by email witness@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov. You can also call the NTSB Response Operations Center at 844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290.
Cedric Jackson
Cedric Jackson
Pilot Cedric Jackson and wife Mary Jackson
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Cedric Bernard Jackson was born in Washington, DC. He graduated from Coral Springs High School, Coral Springs, FL in 1985.
Pursuing his goal of becoming an Air Force Officer and Pilot, he entered the United States Air Force Academy. He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. After attending Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, he received his first assignment to the 24th Air Refueling Squadron, flying KC-135’s out of Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota.
On February 14, 1992 he married his wife, Mary C. Miller of Monticello, Indiana.
In 1994 he transferred to the 310th Airlift Squadron at Howard AFB, Panama, to fly the C-27 Spartan. The C-27s were used at that time to support the U. S. counter drug efforts in South America, performing tactical airlifts at a low level, landing on unprepared runways.
On March 12, 1998, he received an appointment to join the Georgia National Guard’s 128th Bomb Squadron to fly B-1 Bombers. While flying the B-1’s, he was commissioned as a Major in the U. S. Air Force.
In 1999, he was hired by FedEx as an MD11 First Officer. He upgraded to MD 11 Captain in 2012, then he moved on to fly the 777 in 2016.
After leaving active duty service, Major Jackson continued serving the U. S. Air Force as an Air Force Academy Liaison Officer, finishing out his commitment to the Air Force and retiring in 2005.
His love for the outdoors was only surpassed by the love he had for his family. He was a hands-on father, devoted to teaching his two sons everything he knew from water sports to flying. He loved kiteboarding, paddle surf, paddle board with his family on the Indian River, snowboarding, ride his One Wheel everywhere (even to water the trees in the front yard) and he loved flying his Velocity.
Cedric’s caring spirit and generous heart could be felt by anyone he came in contact with. He touched many lives and will be deeply missed by all those who had the pleasure of knowing him.
He is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Mary Jackson; sons, Cedric Jackson (CJ) and Ian Jackson; devoted parents, Roosevelt Jackson, Sr. and Ruth Ferguson Jackson; brother, Roosevelt Jackson, Jr. and numerous other relatives.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to: Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals:
Note LWFA - Cedric Jackson in the memo.
Send checks to
OBAP
19 Mantua Rd
Mt. Royal NJ 08061
TITUSVILLE, Florida – Police released the name on Friday of the pilot who was killed in a plane crash at Space Coast Regional Airport.
The crash happened Thursday afternoon around 4 p.m. at the airport located on 355 Golden Knights Blvd., killing Cedric Bernard Jackson, 54, of Cocoa, according to Titusville police.
No one else was on board the plane and no one else was hurt.
The plane that crashed is Velocity RG, investigators said. The plane crashed near the runway and burst into flames, police said.
The cause of the crash is now under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
TITUSVILLE, Florida — A pilot is dead following the crash of a Velocity RG aircraft in Titusville.
Authorities say the crash happened at the Space Coast Regional Airport in Titusville on Thursday around 4 p.m.
Cedric Jackson, 54, was the only person onboard the aircraft.
According to authorities, Jackson was attempting to land when the crash happened. The impact produce a fire so large that smoke could be seen for miles.
The Velocity is an high performance homebuilt aircraft.
Authorities say the Space Coast Regional Airport was Jackson's home base, adding that he was an experienced retired Air Force pilot who used to fly B-1 bombers.
Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
