Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Greensboro, North Carolina, April 7, 2010
On April 7, 2010 at about 11:40 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura II, registered N332JM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Greensboro, North Carolina (Air Harbor 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 inadequate compensation for a wind gust during the landing approach, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2010 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Greensboro, North Carolina · Air Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II
- Registration
- N332JM · no longer on the register · serial AA1A0146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane was on approach to land on runway 27. The pilot reported that, when the airplane was about 30 to 40 feet above the ground, it experienced a sudden gust of wind which resulted in a loss of altitude and a veer to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its left wing when it struck a parked, unoccupied airplane before coming to rest on the ground. A weather observation taken at an airport located about 8 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, reported winds from 200 degrees at 13 knots. The reported winds 1 hour before and 1 hour after that observation were from 210 degrees at 20 knots, gusting to 28 knots, and from 220 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 24 knots, respectively.
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 Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,539 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 4,334 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 29, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 73 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 6, 2010; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAN Danville VA
- Destination: W88 Greensboro NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,460 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 124°F (51°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from GSO, 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.