Aviat A1 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, August 8, 2002
On August 8, 2002 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Aviat A1, registered N13HU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout while landing in a crosswind which resulted in the airplane inadvertently veering off the runway and incurring damage when the pilot forced it into a ground loop to avoid entry into the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2002 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A1
- Registration
- N13HU · registry record · serial 1323
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had just landed the airplane in a strong crosswind, and during the landing rollout it veered to the right and he attempted to apply left brake control input to maintain directional control but he could not get sufficient braking effect. He said that the airplane was getting close to the water during the rollout so he forced it into a ground loop to avoid entry into the water, and the left wing contacted the ground, and was damaged.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,542 hours in all; 549 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 4,301 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 691 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 29, 2002; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-36-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Merrit Island FL at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,601 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from MLB, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N13HU the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 MIA02LA156.