Amateur-built AVENTURA 2 accident near Des Allemands, Louisiana, April 22, 2009
On April 22, 2009 at about 8:40 pm local time, a amateur-built AVENTURA 2, registered N912SC, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Des Allemands, Louisiana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to achieve adequate altitude and airspeed before beginning a downwind turn after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2009 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Des Allemands, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVENTURA 2
- Registration
- N912SC · registry record · serial AP2A0020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the airplane flying in the area of the accident about one hour before landing on the water. The non-seaplane-rated pilot tried to taxi the airplane to a nearby pier, but was unable due to winds in the area. After about 15 minutes the witness observed the airplane take off and begin a left, downwind turn in 20- to 30-degree bank, and at an altitude of about 100 feet. Shortly after starting the turn the airplane began to descend, hitting trees and impacting the ground. The witness described the engine as running normally and the winds as 10 to 20 miles per hour and gusty.
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
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Collision during takeoff/land during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 946 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 5, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,232 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Des Allemands LA
- Destination: Des Allemands LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MSY, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA262.