Sonex SONEX accident near New Smyrna Beach, Florida, June 3, 2020
On June 3, 2020 at about 12:35 pm local time, a 2018 Sonex SONEX, registered N187PB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near New Smyrna Beach, Florida (New Smyrna Beach Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot failed to maintain an adequate airspeed while on final approach and impacted terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2020 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida · New Smyrna Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sonex SONEX, built 2018
- Registration
- N187PB · no longer on the register · serial 1187
- 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 got too slow on final approach and was too low to the ground to recover and the airplane impacted wooded terrain short of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that it was strictly "pilot error".
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 approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 170.6 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 9, 2017
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: EVB New Smyrna Beach FL at 12:00 pm
- Destination: EVB New Smyrna Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,319 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:40 pm from EVB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 27, 2020. 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 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot Interview | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.