- Date
- November 15, 2025, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Culebrita Beach, PR · Culebritas / Water Takeoff
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N258RSTorres Ruben Aventura II
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20251115020289A
- Case key
- 202030
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 directional control during the initial climb, which resulted in abnormal contact with the water and a subsequent collision with vegetation.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot reported that during an eastbound departure from ocean waters in the amphibious airplane, he encountered a strong gust of wind from the southeast that resulted in a loss of control. Video footage of the accident sequence showed that after liftoff, the airplane entered a steep left bank, and the left wing contacted the water near the shoreline. The airplane subsequently leveled on the surface of the water, and the right wing impacted shoreline vegetation, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N258RS
- Reported as
- Torres Ruben Aventura II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- AP2A0060
- Built
- 2004
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- TIST, 14 nm away
- METAR
- METAR TIST 151953Z 24005KT 10SM SCT026 30/24 A2984 RMK AO2 SLP113 T03000239 $=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.2 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.