Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Palm Beach Gard, Florida, December 15, 2006
On December 15, 2006 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura II, registered N554FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Beach Gard, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure maintain the proper airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2006 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Beach Gard, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II
- Registration
- N554FS · no longer on the register · serial AP2A0031
- 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 he was taking off on the Inter-Coastal Waterway, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and during the takeoff run the aircraft hit a swell which catapulted it airborne. The aircraft then stalled, and descended impacting the water, incurring substantial damage. According to the pilot, prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the aircraft 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: student
- Flight time: 204 hours in all; 147 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 135 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 1, 2006; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F45 N Palm Bch Cty FL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: F45
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from PBI
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.