- Date
- October 26, 2014, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eustis, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N55446Solo Wings Aquilla
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20141026018949A
- Case key
- 90311
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the final approach in turbulent conditions, which resulted in a collision with water.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot of the weight shift aircraft, the flight was his first solo flight and he had flown earlier in the day with a flight instructor. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft encountered a wind shift and turbulent air. After several unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot flew south of the airport and entered a two-mile final for the runway. During the final approach leg, about 50 feet above ground level, the aircraft encountered "violent turbulence." The pilot subsequently lost control of the aircraft and impacted a lake short of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft wing and structural tubing. He further reported that due to the absence of a rear seat passenger the position of the control bar was different than what he was used to. He also reported that there were no mechanical abnormalities or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The wind recorded at an airport 10 miles to the west, around the time of the accident, was from 300 degrees at 4 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the weight shift aircraft, the flight was his first solo flight and he had flown earlier in the day with a flight instructor. Shortly after takeoff the aircraft encountered a wind shift and turbulent air. After several unsuccessful landing attempts, the pilot flew south of the airport and entered a two-mile final for the runway. During the final approach leg, about 50 feet above ground level, the aircraft encountered "violent turbulence." The pilot subsequently lost control of the aircraft and impacted a lake short of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft wing and structural tubing. He further reported that due to the absence of a rear seat passenger the position of the control bar was different than what he was used to. He also reported that there were no mechanical abnormalities or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The wind recorded at an airport 10 miles to the west, around the time of the accident, was from 300 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N55446
- Reported as
- Solo Wings Aquilla
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- 11MAM
- Built
- 2008
- Engine
- Rotax 582E, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 24, 2014
- Departed
- X55 · Eustis, FL
- Destination
- X55 · Eustis, FL
- Airport
- X55 · Mid Florida Air Service, runway 36, 3,200 × 80 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 13, 2014
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 7,105 total · 34 in this make and model · 7,050 as pilot in command · 57 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KLEE, 10 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 29, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.