Flight Design GMBH CTLS accident near Fort Myers, Florida, February 7, 2010
On February 7, 2010 at about 8:53 pm local time, a Flight Design GMBH CTLS, registered N772CT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Fort Myers, Florida (Page Field Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2010 · about 8:53 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Page Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTLS · all CTLSs on the register
- Registration
- N772CT · registry record · serial F-09-05-08
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the special light-sport airplane stated that he had performed six touch-and-go landings with his certified flight instructor (CFI), and at the completion, his instructor approved him for solo flight. He obtained the automated terminal information service, which indicated the wind was from 320 degrees at 10 knots, and he taxied to runway 31. He began the takeoff roll and felt that the airplane was being pushed from the left. He corrected with rudder input and felt as though he was being pushed back to the right, even though he had corrective rudder input. He applied left rudder input again, but the airplane went off the runway and contacted the ground, nosing over. The student exited the inverted airplane and was not injured. The student’s CFI, who was watching the takeoff, reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane began veering towards the left side of the runway. Briefly, the CFI saw the nose and left main landing gear off the runway about 6 to 12 inches, before seeing them contact the runway surface. The CFI further reported that while on the ground the airplane then collided with a taxiway sign, causing the airplane to nose over. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the flight controls.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 23 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 196 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 12, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Paragon Flight Training Centers LTD
The flight
- Departed from: FMY Fort Myers FL at 8:53 pm
- Destination: FMY Fort Myers FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,912 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FMY
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.