Clopton Aero LLC AEROCOMP COMPAIR 7SL accident near Merritt Island, Florida, February 8, 2010
On February 8, 2010 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Clopton Aero LLC AEROCOMP COMPAIR 7SL, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N286JL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2010 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Clopton Aero LLC AEROCOMP COMPAIR 7SL, amateur-built
- Registration
- N286JL · no longer on the register · serial 057222
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the experimental, amateur-built, turboprop airplane, the airplane was configured for landing while on the downwind and base legs for runway 29. During the final approach segment, the airplane was aligned with the runway centerline and airspeed and power were stabilized. At the approach end of the runway, the airplane suddenly dropped, resulting in a hard bounce. Corrections were made and on the second bounce, power was added for a go-around procedure. The engine did not respond to the thrust lever input. The continued bouncing resulted in a loss of directional control and the airplane exited the runway to the left. According to the owner/pilot-rated-passenger, the pilot turned downwind and at base leg, was exceeding the recommended approach speed by 20 knots. Upon turn to final they were approaching the runway “hot.” Airspeed was 80 plus knots and the stall speed for the airplane was 68 to 70 knots. The airplane bounced hard and a go-around was attempted, but was unsuccessful because the turbine spooling was too slow. The airplane exited the runway to the center median with another hard bounce, then with the ensuing crash. The pilot reported that she had accumulated a total time of 15,000 hours; of which, 3.5 hours were in the accident airplane.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 188 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 31, 2009; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,280 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter 601D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TLH Tallalhassee FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: COI Merritt Island FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from COF, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N286JL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.