W.T. LARKINS MEMORIAL COLLECTION
No. 1862. SIAI Marchetti FN-333 Riviera (N95DR c/n 0110)
Photographed at Clear Lake, California, USA, September 28, 2002, by W.T. Larkins

SIAI Marchetti FN-333

10/31/2023. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This aircraft has a wierd history!

It was built by SIAI Marchetti at Sesto Calende, Italy, in December 1965. On April 18, 1966 it was sold to North Star Airparks Inc. at Brooklyn, New York, USA. The aircraft had not been registered in Italy, nor in the USA, till five years later.

On January 18, 1971, it was sold to Dixon Meyers of Mobile, Alabama, who had it registered as N6252 on May 26, 1971. A month later it was registered to the previous owner, North Star Airparks (Meyers was still the owner), apparently the aircraft had been stored at Harvey Canal Seaplane Service, Harvey, Louisiana. With a total of 8.5 flying hours, the aircraft received a Certificate of Airworthiness on January 25, 1972.

On October 9, 1972, Meyers donated the aircraft to the Florida Institute of Technology at Melbourne, Florida, to which it was registered the following October 16. One and a half year later, March 23, 1974, the Institute sold the aircraft to Herbert J. Beil of Lima, Ohio, the registration was transferred to him the following April 10. Beil was the owner who has owned this Riviera the longest, over twelve years.

Beil sold the N6252 to David W. Richardson of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin, on December 18, 1986, the CofR was issued January 26, 1987. Two days later, Richardson requested the registration to be changed to N95DR, this was applied on February 6. Next owner became Amjet Aircraft Corporation of St. Paul, Minnesota, on May 27, 1997, the CofR was issued the following August 3. Amjet sold the aircraft via Courtesy Aircraft of Rockford, Illinois, to Antiques and Collectables Ltd. of Vancouver, Washington on January 23, 1998, the CofR was issued over six months later, August 3.

Antiques and Collectables sold he N95DR to Kennon S. Shea of Quincy, California, on March 31, 2000, again the CofR was issued over six months later, September 26. Kennon Shea passed away on January 18, 2006, by this time the aircraft had a total flight time of 1,106 hours. On December 11, Victora A. Shea, Shea Family Trustee sold the aircraft to Egon Fritz of Waiblingen, Germany, eight days later the CofR was issued to Victora A. Shea, while Fritz received the CofR in March 2007. On the 19th of the same month Fritz sold the aircraft to Aircraft Guaranty Title Corporation Trustee of Houston, Texas, the following day the CofR was issued to the Corporation, also a Temporary Airworthiness Certificate for one month was issued, April 19.

On May 20, 2007, Egon Fritz, sole occupant of the Riviera, departed North Las Vegas Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada for a 316 mls (508 km) cros country flight to Minden-Tahoe Airport, Minden, Nevada. Almost two and a half hour later, near Minden, Fritz had to make a forced field landing due to a loss of power, caused by fuel starvation. The aircraft skidded the roof of a garage, impacted the ground in a nose down attitude, and nosed over. Fritz was killed instantly, the aircraft was substantially damaged. The registration was cancelled on February 8, 2008."

Read also the History Brief .

SIAI Marchetti FN-333


Created October 24, 2002