# NTSB CEN09LA262: Capra, Salvatore O Aventura 2, N912SC, Des Allemands, LA, April 22, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 22, 2009, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC)
- Place: Des Allemands, LA
- Coordinates: 29.815277, -90.474166 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.8153&lon=-90.4742&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 6, 2010
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 73710
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA262
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73710/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73710
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA262

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to achieve adequate altitude and airspeed before beginning a downwind turn after takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Wind: high wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 112 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034055/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Initial climb: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md)
- [Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=056032F), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

A witness observed the airplane flying in the area of the accident about one hour before landing on the water. The non-seaplane-rated pilot tried to taxi the airplane to a nearby pier, but was unable due to winds in the area. After about 15 minutes the witness observed the airplane take off and begin a left, downwind turn in 20- to 30-degree bank, and at an altitude of about 100 feet. Shortly after starting the turn the airplane began to descend, hitting trees and impacting the ground. The witness described the engine as running normally and the winds as 10 to 20 miles per hour and gusty.

## Factual narrative

On April 22, 2009, about 1540 central daylight time, a Salvatore Capra Aventura II homebuilt amphibious airplane, N912SC, was substantially damaged following impact with trees shortly after taking off from Bayou Des Allemands, Des Allemands, Louisiana. The private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A witness, who was a pilot, observed the airplane flying back and forth along the bayou for about one hour before it landed on the water. He said it appeared the pilot then attempted to taxi the airplane to a nearby pier, but was having difficulty due to high winds causing the airplane to weathervane into the wind. The winds were described as 10 to 20 miles per hour and gusty from the southwest. After ten to fifteen minutes the pilot then took off to the south. After reaching about 100 feet the airplane started a level, left, downwind turn to the east in 20 to 30 degrees of bank. The airplane then began to descend, maintaining the same bank and attitude until it hit a tree and impacted the ground. The witness described the area where the airplane took off from as being a bay lined by trees, which provided a wind break, until the area where the pilot started the downwind turn. At that point the trees ended. The witness described the engine running normally before the accident. Winds at New Orleans (MSY), 17 miles northeast of Des Allemands, at 1553 were from 220 degrees at 12 knots. Winds at Houma, LA (HUM), 23 miles southwest of Des Allemands, at 1550 were from 220 degrees at six knots. The pilot, age 64, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for single engine land airplane. His last third class medical examination occurred on April 3, 2007. He was not seaplane rated. According to the pilot’s logbook, he had logged 946 total hours and single engine land time as of the last entry on June 30, 2007. According to the pilot’s logbook, his last biannual flight review was on February 5, 2006. The pilot had purchased the airplane on February 17, 2009. The airplane maintenance records were not located during the investigation. Examination of the airplane showed the left and right wings were crumpled and deformed. The forward one third of the fuselage, including the cockpit, was crumpled. Both the left and right horizontal stabilizers showed leading edge impact marks. One propeller blade had separated from the engine and had chord wise scratches on the leading edge.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N912SC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N912SC-2013-09-16), registration cancelled 2013-09-16, S/N AP2A0020, built 1996 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CAPRA, SALVATORE O AVENTURA 2
- Registry model: [Capra Salvatore O AVENTURA 2](https://openairdocs.org/model/capra-salvatore-o-aventura-2) (registry code 056032F) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: AP2A0020
- Engines: BOMBARDIER ROTAX (ALL) 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Tregre Ronnie P
- Registered owner: Tregre Ronnie P
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: Des Allemands, LA
- Destination: Des Allemands, LA

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 5, 2006; toxicology performed; flight hours: 946 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: MSY, 17 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Incident 20090422005849I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090422005849I), Apr 22, 2009: Capras AVENTURA2, Des Allemands, LA, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) During take off and climb while makeing a left handed turn; airplane lost altitude and struck a tree before impacting the ground 15' from the tree…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 2, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73710. 663 KB in all.

- Witness Statement (item 1, .PDF, 47 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40326271&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Toxicological Report (item 2, .PDF, 149 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40326262&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF
- Photo - Wreckage (item 3, .PDF, 467 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40326265&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20-%20Wreckage-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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