Amateur-built Sonex accident near New Smyrna Beac, Florida, December 6, 2007
On December 6, 2007 at about 5:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Sonex, registered N130SX, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Smyrna Beac, Florida (New Smyrna Beach Municipal 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 altitude/clearance while on final approach for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2007 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Beac, Florida · New Smyrna Beach Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sonex
- Registration
- N130SX · no longer on the register · serial 0013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, "the purpose of the flight was to test a new instrument and conduct test approaches and landings to check flying characteristics at slower approach speeds. Previous approaches at 70 miles per hour (MPH) [were] too fast. After practicing slow flight and entering a stall speed into new instrument I was cleared for a 5-mile straight in approach to runway 2. After "dragging in" for 5-miles I attained my test final approach speed of 60 mph. There was a tree in my glide path so I climbed over it but underestimated my sink rate (which was the purpose of the test flight) the right gear snagged a limb which jerked me into a right hand roll. I applied power, leveled the wings, and pointed [the] nose ahead as it hit the ground. There were no visible markings on the runway to indicate a displaced threshold. The reason for the displaced threshold is the tree. If the runway was properly marked, I am sure I would have been reminded at least a mile out or one-half out that there was a displaced threshold and avoided the incident."
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: 1,343 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 1,343 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 1, 2007; 8.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KEVB New Smyrna Beac FL at 5:05 pm
- Destination: KEVB New Smyrna Beac FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 12:12 pm from KEVB
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.