Amateur-built Rebel accident near Wimauma, Florida, November 14, 2006
On November 14, 2006 at about 9:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Rebel, registered N4038W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wimauma, Florida. It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent application of brakes during the landing flare touchdown which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2006 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wimauma, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rebel
- Registration
- N4038W · registry record · serial 065
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as the airplane's tires touched the turf runway he felt an abnormal drag on the airplane, and before he could react the nose of the airplane went into the dirt and the airplane slowly nosed over. According to the pilot, he inadvertently placed his feet on the brakes during touchdown. Prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 799 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 799 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 120 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD77 Wimauma FL at 9:20 pm
- Destination: FD77
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from TPA
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.