Amateur-built Aventura II accident near Okeechobee, Florida, September 1, 2007
On September 1, 2007 at about 1:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Aventura II, registered N444LT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida (Okeechobee airport). 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in the pilot being inadvertently ejected and the airplane's impact with the water during an uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2007 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · Okeechobee
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Aventura II
- Registration
- N444LT · no longer on the register · serial AP2A0094
- 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 departed from the Okeechobee Airport and headed toward the lake to practice touch and go landings on the water. When he arrived at the lake, he turned into the wind, which caused the nose of the airplane to rise. He over corrected, causing the nose to dip sharply. He had his hand on the throttle. The abrupt movement made him apply full throttle and push the flight controls to the left, which made the airplane make a sharp left turn throwing him out the right side of the airplane. The airplane leveled itself off and flew about a mile before it came down and flipped over in the shallow water. A friend, who was flying with him in his own airplane, saw what had happened. The friend called for help and got the attention of a nearby fisherman, who came to his aid and brought him to the shore. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 140 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
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.