Amateur-built SP-95 accident near Panama City, Florida, March 22, 2003
On March 22, 2003 at about 8:31 pm local time, a amateur-built SP-95, registered N195SF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panama City, Florida (Tyndall Air Force Base airport). It was an air show or air race flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's attempted abrupt maneuver at a low altitude resulting in loss of control and collision with terrain before control could be regained.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2003 · about 8:31 pm local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Tyndall Air Force Base · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SP-95
- Registration
- N195SF · no longer on the register · serial 1492050100
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N195SF crashed while performing in an airshow at Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, Florida , and there were several witnesses present. According to FAA inspectors who witnessed the accident, the pilot was supposed to race a jet truck but the truck was late commencing the race to the pilot initiated a looping maneuver commencing at 50 feet. The inspectors stated that the airplane climbed in the loop to an altitude of about 300 feet, and at the top of the maneuver it appeared to have stalled. they said it descended in a level attitude with a high rate of descent and impacted the ground fatally injuring the pilot. According to witnesses the engine sounded as if it was functioning normally daring the whole flight. An FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic examined the airplane and no preaccident anomalies were found to exist with the flight controls.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 246 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vendeneyev M14 P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAM Panama City at 8:30 pm
- Destination: PAM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31L, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 9:34 pm from PAM
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.