Amateur-built AVENTURA II accident near Deland, Florida, June 17, 2021
On June 17, 2021 at about 12:30 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built AVENTURA II, registered N966W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Deland, Florida (Deland Muni-Sidney H Taylor Fl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A landing gear collapse after the airplane struck a hole during an off-runway precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2021 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland Muni-Sidney H Taylor Fl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVENTURA II, built 2007
- Registration
- N966W · registry record · serial AA2A0136
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As soon as the pilot lifted from the runway during the takeoff he thought he encountered windshear or a crosswind and the airplane “stopped climbing.” He decided to land in the grass off of the runway, and after touchdown during the landing roll, the airplane contacted a hole in the ground. The left main landing gear separated from the fuselage and the left wing contacted the ground, which substantially damaged it. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 191 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 96 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 1, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 914UL (piston); 96 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,301 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 am from DED
Weather report (METAR): KDED 171235Z AUTO 22006KT 10SM CLR 25/21 A3003 RMK AO2 TSNO T02470209
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ERA21LA256.