Amateur-built STORM accident near Eustis, Florida, January 2, 2015
On January 2, 2015 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 2014 amateur-built STORM (weight-shift aircraft), registered N516VB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Eustis, Florida (Mid Florida Air Service 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 failure to maintain adequate spacing from the preceding aircraft during a formation landing, resulting in an inadvertent "prop wash" encounter, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 2015 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eustis, Florida · Mid Florida Air Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STORM, built 2014
- Registration
- N516VB · registry record · serial TTS61
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of a local formation flight, the flight of weight-shift-control aircraft returned to their home airport and entered the traffic pattern. During the landing flare, the accident pilot encountered the "prop wash" of the preceding aircraft, which resulted in his aircraft entering an uncommanded right bank. The pilot attempted to counteract the turn by applying a left banking control input, but the left main landing gear and nose landing gear impacted the ground, and further aggravated the turn. The nose landing gear then collapsed and dug into the soft turf runway, and the aircraft overturned to the right, where it came to rest on its right side. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airframe had been substantially damaged during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures or the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation, and when asked how the accident might have been prevented, the pilot stated, "…I could have performed (possibly) a go-around."
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 wake turb encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 211 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command; 340 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 12, 2014; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Suzuki G13B (piston); 25 hours total
- Operator: Lake Hoppers Air Adventures, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: X55 Eustis FL at 9:45 pm
- Destination: X55 Eustis FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from LEE, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N516VB 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.