Amateur-built AVENTURA II accident near Rockledge, Florida, December 1, 2007
On December 1, 2007 at about 5:54 pm local time, a amateur-built AVENTURA II, registered N79GP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockledge, Florida (Rockledge Airport). 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 failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during climbout, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and uncontrolled descent. Contributing to the severity of the pilot's injuries was the inadequate manufacture of the shoulder harness restraint cables.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2007 · about 5:54 pm local time
- Place
- Rockledge, Florida · Rockledge Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AVENTURA II
- Registration
- N79GP · registry record · serial AP2A0079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following maintenance to the amateur-built airplane, including the manufacture and installation of shoulder harness cables and a condition inspection, the airplane was test flown by the facility general manager on two separate flights lasting a total of one hour. The only discrepancies reported by the general manager related to the airplane's brakes and noise in the headset. While the pilot has no independent recollection of the accident flight, a pilot-rated witness who was outside on the airport reported that his attention was drawn to the accident airplane when he heard a normal sounding engine run-up being performed. He watched the airplane take off, becoming airborne at the midpoint of the runway. The initial takeoff climb appeared normal, then approximately 1.5 seconds later, at an estimated 75 feet above ground level (agl), the left wing dropped or "bobbled." The airplane rolled to the right, then climbed to 100 to 150 feet agl. The right wing raised, the nose pitched up 15 degrees, which was more than a normal pitch attitude, and then the airplane "shuddered" and stalled to the left. The airplane impacted terrain in a left-wing-low attitude. During the impact sequence, the pilot's shoulder harness cable failed prematurely due to improper manufacturing, contributing to his serious head injuries. No evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction was identified for either the flight controls or engine.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 25, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 142.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 29, 2008; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 21FA Rockledge FL at 5:54 pm
- Destination: 21FA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,010 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from COF, 7 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.