Amateur-built Sonerai IIB accident near Lakeland, Florida, July 20, 2003
On July 20, 2003 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Sonerai IIB, registered N224RB, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional airport). It was a personal 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 decision to conduct low level flight and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2003 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sonerai IIB
- Registration
- N224RB · registry record · serial 10492230
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Preliminary reports from the Polk County Sheriff's Office stated that the experimental airplane struck power lines at an estimated height of 35 feet above the ground with the right wing tip, resulting in an uncontrolled descent in a field. A witness stated she observed a small bright yellow airplane around 1925 on night of the accident flying just over her residence. It caught her attention due to how low the airplane was flying just above the trees. She added, "I watched him head west at the same altitude for a very short distance and did a 90 degree bank to the left, then another to the right , after that he was completely out of sight." Several witnesses stated to the Polk County Sheriff Officer they observed the airplane perform what appeared to be "stunts or tricks" before descending toward the ground. They never saw the airplane impact the ground but observed the airplane in an open field. Pieces of the airplane were found next to the road as the witnesses headed toward the wreckage to check on the person aboard. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that responded to the accident stated the power lines were located along Moore road 15 miles north of the Lakeland Airport, Lakeland, Florida. The airplane lost a portion of the right wing at the site of the power lines and continued west about 1/4 mile before it impacted with the ground. The postmortem examination of the pilot listed cause of death was multiple blunt force traumatic injuries sustained during an airplane crash. FAA toxicology analyses were negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, cyanide, and specific drugs.
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: 710 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen unknow (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLAL Lakeland FL at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from KLAL, 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.
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.