Itec INC MAVERICK accident near Dunnellon, Florida, October 21, 2014
On October 21, 2014 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2007 Itec INC MAVERICK (powered parachute), registered N356MV, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Dunnellon, Florida (Marion County Airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A cell blowout in the fabric wing, which resulted in an asymmetrical loss of lift and a subsequent loss of aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2014 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Dunnellon, Florida · Marion County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Itec INC MAVERICK, built 2007
- Registration
- N356MV · registry record · serial MAV1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft, which was one of nine prototypes developed to support remote populations, included a kit-built dune buggy equipped with a roll cage and racing seats that could be used to drive to remote sites. The dune buggy was connected to a deployable, powered parachute that had a fabric wing with cells that filled with air to provide lift over obstacles such as jungle canopies. The aircraft was directionally controlled in the air by foot pedals and/or a fly-by-wire servo controlled through the dune buggy's steering wheel, which could be turned off if needed. The pilot reported that the takeoff was "normal" and that he then climbed the aircraft to about 500 ft. While in level flight, the aircraft "all of sudden, and sharply" turned right with no pilot inputs. The pilot tried turning the aircraft left, but it continued to spiral right. He thought about turning off the fly-by-wire servo but realized that the servo wasn't the problem and wanted to keep using it to help rudder pedal inputs. As the aircraft passed through 180 degrees of turn, the pilot realized it was coming down over trees. He had completely lost aircraft control but found that adding power added lift to the left side of the parachute and that reducing power reduced the lift. At one point, the parachute was parallel with the dune buggy, which is consistent with a cell blowout. The pilot stated that he believed that, at some point, the cell pressurized briefly, which straightened the aircraft and allowed it to avoid the trees before hitting the ground. Once the aircraft hit the ground, the fuel tank ruptured, which resulted in a fire that consumed the parachute and precluded further failure mode documentation.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Flight surfaces (wing) › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,046 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 13, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 101 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 16, 2014; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru MavEJ25 (piston); 27 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Itec INC
The flight
- Departed from: X35 Dunnellon FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: X35 Dunnellon FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from LEE, 33 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.
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.