Maxair DRIFTER accident near Sebring, Florida, November 13, 2021
On November 13, 2021 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Maxair DRIFTER, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sebring, Florida (Sebring Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot’s decision to operate the airplane without flight training or a pilot certificate and his loss of control shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2021 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · Sebring Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maxair DRIFTER NO SERIES
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial NONE
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot reported that as, he maneuvered the airplane to land in an open field, his flight path was nearing people and a building, so he added power, however too much power was added. This resulted in the nose of the airplane pitching up rapidly, which was followed by an aerodynamic stall and a nose low impact in the field. The airplane’s tail boom, fuselage, and wings sustained substantial damage. A video taken from the ground captured nearly the entire accident flight. Its contents largely corroborate the pilot’s account of what happened. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane. He further reported that the accident flight was only his second flight in the airplane and he had not received any flight training to fly this airplane prior to flight. He believed the airplane was an “ultralight”, however, due to the fuel tanks size and number of seats, it did not meet the criteria stated in Code of Federal Regulations Part 103.
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 takeoff defining event
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › Initial instruct/training › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 2 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 6 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from SEF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSEF 131555Z AUTO 21008KT 10SM CLR 26/20 A3002 RMK AO2 T02590200
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 20, 2022. 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 | Record of Conversation (Pilot) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memo for Record (6120.1 Form Not Provided) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Video of Accident Flight | MOV file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.