Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Astor, Florida, July 16, 2020
On July 16, 2020 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 2003 amateur-built Aventura II, registered N86KD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Astor, Florida (Lake 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's failure to retract the amphibious airplane’s landing gear prior to the water landing, which resulted in a nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2020 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Astor, Florida · Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II, built 2003
- Registration
- N86KD · registry record · serial AA2A0106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious airplane departed from a land-based airport with hard surfaced runway. After conducting some local sightseeing, he prepared to land on a nearby lake. As the airplane settled onto the water it nosed over. The pilot and passenger egressed the airplane and sustained minor injuries, and the fuselage of the airplane was substantially damaged. Following the accident, the pilot noticed that the airplane’s landing gear was in the extended position. He then realized that he had failed to retract the landing gear after departure from the hard surface runway, and inadvertently had left them extended for the water landing. He further described that he allowed his conversation during the sightseeing portion of the flight to distract him from correctly configuring the landing gear. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 216.9 hours in all; 210.6 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 216.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 27, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 20, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 1,481 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DED Deland FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: NONE Astor FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from DED, 12 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on April 12, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation_pilot/owner | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array_airplane Damage | 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.
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.