Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Rockledge, Florida, April 7, 2001
On April 7, 2001 at about 12:55 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura II, registered N407EC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockledge, Florida (Rockledge Airpark 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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff/initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, an uncontrolled descent, and collision with the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's distraction with the landing gear system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2001 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Rockledge, Florida · Rockledge Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II
- Registration
- N407EC · registry record · serial AP0011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that the takeoff seemed normal, and at an altitude of about 75 feet he tried to retract the gear, and it moved half way and then stuck. He said he tried several times with no luck, and then he made a slight left turn in order not to overrun the ultra light traffic, which had taken off ahead of him, but kept struggling with the gear, and had briefly looked between the seats at the gear to see if he could see an obstruction, and the only memory he had after that was looking straight down, while in a full stall. A witness said that the aircraft was departing the airport and it entered a steep bank of about 60 degrees, while in a left turn. The witness further stated that while less than 100 feet above the ground the aircraft stalled, snap rolled to the left, and crashed nearly straight down.
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
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 24, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 410 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 26, 2001; 2.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Bombardier Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X65 Rockledge FL at 12:55 pm
- Destination: LAL Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from TIX, 25 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.