# NTSB ERA26LA047: Torres Ruben Aventura II, N258RS, Culebrita Beach, PR, November 15, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 15, 2025, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC) - Place: Culebrita Beach, PR · Culebritas / Water Takeoff - Coordinates: 18.32094, -65.226694 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.3209&lon=-65.2267&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - 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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 202030 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202030/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202030 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA047 ## 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 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: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05617LR), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05617LR), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation; cases with it: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=05617LR), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05617LR), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05617LR), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## 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](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N258RS), registered now, S/N AP2A0060 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TORRES RUBEN AVENTURA II - Registry model: [Torres Ruben AVENTURA II](https://openairdocs.org/model/torres-ruben-aventura-ii) (registry code 05617LR) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: AP2A0060 - Year built: 2004 - Engines: Rotax 912ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 72; injuries: none; 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 $= ## 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 20251115020289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251115020289A), Nov 15, 2025: Torres Ruben AVENTURA II, Culebra, PR, Substantial damage. On November 15, 2025, at about 16:00 ast, an experimental airplane, aventura 2, suffered substantial damage due to an accident on culebrita beach in Culebra,… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 14, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202030. 7.2 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 3.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19988822&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Form_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 802 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20286904&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-Rel.pdf - Video file (item 3, MOV, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19988765&FileExtension=mov&FileName=N258RS%20Video-Rel.mov 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.