Amateur-built Aventura accident near Ferris, Texas, March 21, 2011
On March 21, 2011 at about 2:15 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura, registered N1317L, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Ferris, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of aircraft control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2011 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ferris, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura
- Registration
- N1317L · registry record · serial AP2A0009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was delivering the amphibious airplane to the owner's private grass airstrip. While on final approach, the pilot lost control and the airplane impacted the ground in a left wing low attitude. The airplane came to rest in an upright position short of the runway's threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident. He said that the airplane's windshield was dirty and that while landing he couldn't see through it.
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
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Windows › windshield system › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T13 Palmer TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: Ferris TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 1,000 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:07 pm from LNC, 8 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.
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.