Polaris Polar Star accident near Dewees Island, South Carolina, July 20, 2011
On July 20, 2011 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Polaris Polar Star, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Dewees Island, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s operation of the unregistered airplane while impaired by alcohol. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s performance of aerobatic maneuvers that exceeded the structural limits of the aircraft, which resulted in failure of the wing due to overload.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2011 · about 10:15 pm local time · cases in 2011
- Place
- Dewees Island, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Polaris Polar Star
- Registration
- UNREG · registered outside the United States
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the non-certificated pilot perform a loop and start to perform another. As the weight-shift-control aircraft was at the top of the second loop, inverted, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet above the water, the wing folded. The aircraft dropped straight down into shallow water. Although the aircraft, which consisted of a fabric-covered wing attached to an inflatable boat, met the definition of a light sport aircraft and should have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it was not registered. The aircraft was not certificated to perform aerobatic maneuvers. Toxicology testing on the pilot’s blood was positive for .069 g/dL ethanol. FAA regulations prohibit operation of an aircraft with blood alcohol levels above .040 g/dL.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › (general) › Capability exceeded other cases naming the airframe structure
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 388 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dewees Island SC
- Destination: Dewees Island SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KCHS, 20 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
8 documents, released by the NTSB on August 8, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Statements | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Charleston Sheriff Department's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 1; View of Wreckage in Water (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photo 2; Aft View of Wreckage (Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 3; Overview of Wreckage (Courtesy of the FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Engine: Rotax 582 62 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in South Carolina 1,036 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- South Carolina 3,112 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under UNREG 10 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA11LA415.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.