Amateur-built VELOCITY STD/RG E accident near Sebastian, Florida, February 13, 2015
On February 13, 2015 at about 2:00 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built VELOCITY STD/RG E, registered N112TH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Sebastian, Florida (Sebastian Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control after takeoff, which resulted in collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to properly secure the cabin door and trim the airplane for takeoff, which resulted in the cabin door opening and the nose pitching up suddenly at liftoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2015 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sebastian, Florida · Sebastian Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built VELOCITY STD/RG E, built 2007
- Registration
- N112TH · registry record · serial SRE042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had recently purchased the experimental, amateur-built airplane. He received 3.6 hours of familiarization training in another airplane by the same manufacturer during the 2 days before the accident while maintenance and inspections were performed on his airplane. Once the work was completed, the pilot departed on the accident flight. Witnesses reported that, immediately after rotation, they observed the right cabin door open. The airplane briefly maintained the runway heading and then began a "slow, lingering" left turn. One witness described the engine sound as increasing and decreasing between idle and full power. The airplane rolled left, then wings level, then left again before it descended to the ground. The airplane impacted trees near the airport perimeter; the right wing separated, and the fuselage was substantially damaged. Immediately after the accident, the pilot reported that he was taking off and that "the door blew open." The pilot subsequently reported that the airplane "pitched up violently" on takeoff and would not respond to nose-down pitch trim. Examination of the airplane revealed flight control continuity from the cockpit area to the flight control surfaces. The latch mechanism on the right cabin door was found intact and fully functional. The pitch trim was found in a nearly full nose-up setting, and, when activated, the pitch trim motor ran through its full range at its normal rate. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb 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
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect use/operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 935 hours in all; 9 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 28, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 79 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 16, 2014
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Superior IO-360 (piston); 79 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X26 Sebastian FL at 2:00 pm
- Destination: CPC Whiteville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,199 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from VRB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N112TH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15LA130.