Excalibur Aircraft Excalibur accident near Immokalee, Florida, January 30, 2011
On January 30, 2011 at about 6:51 pm local time, a Excalibur Aircraft Excalibur (ultralight), registered N818RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Immokalee, Florida (Immokalee Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 a high speed taxi test resulting in unintentional flight and ground collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2011 · about 6:51 pm local time
- Place
- Immokalee, Florida · Immokalee Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Excalibur Aircraft Excalibur
- Registration
- N818RJ · registry record · serial 11199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was completing high speed taxi tests when the airplane inadvertently became airborne. The airplane climbed to about 50 to 70 feet above ground level and the pilot attempted to touch back down to land. The airplane descended quickly and he applied right rudder and pushed the controls forward. The airplane impacted the ground, incurring substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Documentation provided by the airplane manufacturer recommended against high speed taxi.
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 takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: IMM Immokalee FL at 1:45 pm
- Destination: IMM Immokalee FL
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 09, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 200 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from RSW
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.