Silverlight Aviation LLC DELTA JET-II accident near Mulberry, Florida, August 10, 2021
On August 10, 2021 at about 12:15 pm local time, a 2014 Silverlight Aviation LLC DELTA JET-II (weight-shift aircraft), registered N314SL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mulberry, Florida (South Lakeland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing and a subsequent loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 2021 · about 12:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mulberry, Florida · South Lakeland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Silverlight Aviation LLC DELTA JET-II, built 2014 · all DELTA JET-IIs on the register
- Registration
- N314SL · registry record · serial 0001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was practicing touch and go landings. He made three uneventful landings, and on the fourth attempt, he was “a little too late” on the flare and bounced the airplane 2-3 times, lost control, and the airplane came to rest in a ditch off the side of the runway. The wing was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. 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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › Training with equipment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 23, 2019
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 327.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,125 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 3,278 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,412 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from LAL, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLAL 101150Z 11003KT 10SM SKC 26/26 A3015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 ERA21LA325.