Maxair ARV-582 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, August 26, 1991
On August 26, 1991 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Maxair ARV-582, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Herlong Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE UNQUALIFIED PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VSO) WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL, STALL SPIN, AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1991 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Herlong Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maxair ARV-582, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 7790
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT 150 FEET AGL WITH A 20 TO 30 DEGREE NOSE UP ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT TURN TOWARDS THE RUNWAY WITH A 30 DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK. THE LEFT WING DROPPED DOWN 90 DEGREES, THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN 60 DEGREES, AND THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED BELOW THE TREE LINE COLLIDING WITH THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE OWNER STATED IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE FAA THAT THE PIC STALLED THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT DID NOT HOLD A RATING TO FLY AIRPLANES AND IN ADDITION, DID NOT HAVE A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,820 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 365 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23J Jacksonville FL at 2:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from NZC, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.