# NTSB ERA20CA204: Sonex Sonex, N187PB, New Smyrna Beach, FL, June 3, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 3, 2020, 08:35 local (12:35 UTC)
- Place: New Smyrna Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 29, -80.94889 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.0000&lon=-80.9489&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 2 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101372
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA204
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101372/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101372
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA204

## Probable cause

The pilot failed to maintain an adequate airspeed while on final approach and impacted terrain.

## Findings

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

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Barber William M SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05634UT), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [Barber William M SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05634UT), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Barber William M SONEX, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05634UT), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he got too slow on final approach and was too low to the ground to recover and the airplane impacted wooded terrain short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that it was strictly "pilot error".

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N187PB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N187PB-2021-11-08), registration cancelled 2021-11-08, S/N 1187, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SONEX SONEX
- Registry model: [Barber William M SONEX](https://openairdocs.org/model/barber-william-m-sonex) (registry code 05634UT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Aerovee 2.1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/aerovee-2-1) (registry code 01402, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1187
- Year built: 2018
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: EVB, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL
- Destination: EVB, NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL
- Airport: EVB, New Smyrna Beach Muni, runway 11, 4,319 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 75; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review November 9, 2017; seat: left; flight hours: 170.6 total, 2 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: EVB

## FAA reports on this event (1)

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

- [Accident 20200603007359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200603007359A), Jun 3, 2020: Barber William M SONEX, New Smyrna Beac, FL, Substantial damage. On June 3, 2020, at 08:30 (local time), N187PB crashed while attempting to land on runway 7 at new Smyrna beach municipal airport (kevb). While turning from…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 27, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101372. 916 KB in all.

- Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview (item 1, .PDF, 98 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486370&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Interview-Master.PDF
- Photos (item 2, .PDF, 819 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486371&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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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