Amateur-built Atlantica 235FG accident near Melbourne, Florida, January 10, 2003
On January 10, 2003 at about 6:05 pm local time, a amateur-built Atlantica 235FG, registered N235BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Melbourne, Florida (Melbourne International airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent liftoff and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2003 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Melbourne, Florida · Melbourne International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Atlantica 235FG
- Registration
- N235BW · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the airplane operation was to complete high speed taxi maneuvers as part of the aircraft certification requirement. However, during the high speed taxi, the pilot raised the nose of the airplane and it became airborne. The airplane climbed with a high angle of attack to approximately 100 feet. The pilot then reduced the power to idle and lowered the airplane nose. The airplane collided with the ground as the pilot attempted to recover from the inadvertent flight. No mechanical failures were reported. Examination of the airplane revealed cracks in both wings and collapsed landing gear. Aircraft maintenance logs were not recovered for examination.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 9, 2002; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lom M-337AR (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL
- Destination: Melbourne FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft; scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from MLB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.