Amateur-built DragonFly B accident near Labelle, Florida, June 23, 2001
On June 23, 2001 at about 10:54 pm local time, a amateur-built DragonFly B, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Labelle, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall/spin by the pilot resulting in an uncontrolled descent and impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2001 · about 10:54 pm local time
- Place
- Labelle, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DragonFly B
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed for the purpose of observing the ground where an event for the South Florida Free Flight Association was planned. A witness reported that the flight returned after being airborne about 10 minutes and appeared to be on approach to land. The airplane was observed to be in a right bank and, "apparently stalled and went into a spin. At that time, they were approximately 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile east to the East of me, and at approximately 300 feet of altitude. They did not recover from the spin, and the plane hit the ground nose first." The airplane was not registered with the Federal Aviation Administration though it was required to be based on the purpose of the flight and the number of seats installed. Examination of the airplane after recovery revealed no evidence of airframe, engine, or flight control preimpact failure or malfunction.
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: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140.3 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 992 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Labelle FL at 10:44 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FMY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.