ERA22LA062

NTSB accident investigation · Maxair Drifter · Sebring, FL · November 13, 2021

Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal report
Date
November 13, 2021, 11:50 local (16:50 UTC)
Place
Sebring, FL
Injuries
1 serious
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
UNREGMaxair Drifter
Defining event
Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
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
Case key
104253

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 non-certificated pilot’s decision to operate the airplane without flight training or a pilot certificate and his loss of control shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude and collision with terrain.

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Experience/qualifications: qualification/certificationPersonnel issues › Experience/knowledge · PilotAll aircraft: 280 casesProbable cause
Training: initial instruct/trainingPersonnel issues › Experience/knowledge · PilotAll aircraft: 9 casesProbable cause
Info processing/decision: decision making/judgmentPersonnel issues › Action/decision · PilotAll aircraft: 3,098 casesProbable cause

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

The non-certificated pilot reported that as, he maneuvered the airplane to land in an open field, his flight path was nearing people and a building, so he added power, however too much power was added. This resulted in the nose of the airplane pitching up rapidly, which was followed by an aerodynamic stall and a nose low impact in the field. The airplane’s tail boom, fuselage, and wings sustained substantial damage. A video taken from the ground captured nearly the entire accident flight. Its contents largely corroborate the pilot’s account of what happened. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He further reported that the accident flight was only his second flight in the airplane and he had not received any flight training to fly this airplane prior to flight. He believed the airplane was an “ultralight”, however, due to the fuel tanks size and number of seats, it did not meet the criteria stated in Code of Federal Regulations Part 103.

Aircraft

Registration
UNREG
Reported as
Maxair Drifter (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
NONE
Airframe hours
6
Engine
Rotax 912ULS, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
None
Destination
Same as departure
Airport
SEF · Sebring Rgnl
Equipment
None

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
39
Injuries
Serious
Seat
Front
Flight hours
2 total · 2 in this make and model · 2 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
210° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 68 °F
Altimeter
30.02 inHg
Observed at
SEF, 1 nm away
METAR
KSEF 131555Z AUTO 21008KT 10SM CLR 26/20 A3002 RMK AO2 T02590200

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 20, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 44.2 MB in all.