Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Hope, Maine, September 10, 2005
On September 10, 2005 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura II, registered N9138W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hope, Maine. 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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent impact with water. A factor to the accident was the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2005 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hope, Maine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II
- Registration
- N9138W · registry record · serial AP2A0089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
An amateur built airplane, operated by an uncertificated pilot, completed a turn to the base traffic pattern leg. After encountering a gust of wind, the airplane stalled, entered a spin, and impacted water, resulting in serious injury and substantial damage.
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
Pilot
- Flight time: 112 hours in all; 112 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 1997
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BST Belfast ME at 8:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Hope ME
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from BGR, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.