Amateur-built Super Petrel accident near Palm Harbor, Florida, June 13, 2007
On June 13, 2007 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Super Petrel, registered N771AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Harbor, Florida. It was a personal flight 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during approach to land on a lake resulting in an inflight collision with water. A factor was the pilot's lack of qualification and total experience in the accident airplane make and model.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2007 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Harbor, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Super Petrel
- Registration
- N771AT · no longer on the register · serial 0163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was conducting a visual approach to a lake for landing. He was about 20 feet above the water when the right wing went up and the left wing went down. The pilot stated he lost directional control of the airplane and the left wing collided with the water separating the outboard leading edge of the left wing. The pilot stated he did not experience any mechanical problems with the experimental amphibian airplane before the accident. The pilot stated he received 22 hours of instruction towards a seaplane rating, however he did not take the FAA check ride and does not hold a seaplane rating. In addition the pilot stated he has 6 total flight hours in the accident airplane. Review of the Saint Petersburg/ Clearwater International Airport, Saint Petersburg, Florida,1553 surface weather observation located 5 miles south of the airport revealed the winds were 330 degrees at 10 knots and no wind gusts were reported.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 238 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 1, 2007; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Palm Harbor FL at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KPIE, 5 miles away
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.