J&J Ultralights Sea Wing accident near Live Oak, Florida, March 13, 2008
On March 13, 2008 at about 1:00 pm local time, a J&J Ultralights Sea Wing, registered N7711Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Live Oak, Florida (None airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was his habit interference from previously flying conventional airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2008 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Live Oak, Florida · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- J&J Ultralights Sea Wing · all Sea Wings on the register
- Registration
- N7711Z · registry record · serial SWJ582301028
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the amateur built SeaWing weight-shift control aircraft was in his first day of solo flight training. He successfully completed "a few" solo takeoffs and landings when the winds increased, which prompted him to switch to a field adjacent to the one he was using. On short final, the aircraft drifted towards trees to the right of the nominal approach path. The pilot initiated a go-around, and applied control inputs that were intended to correct the flight path to the left. The pilot's control inputs caused the aircraft to turn right, and it collided with the trees. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft, and serious injuries to the pilot. The pilot had approximately 700 hours in airplanes, and was learning to fly the accident aircraft. The pitch and directional control inputs for a weight-shift aircraft were opposite those required for an airplane. The flight instructor and student were cognizant of the potential for problems caused by the difference in required control inputs, but neither observed any tendency of the student to make incorrect inputs on any previous flights. The pilot stated that on the accident approach, he reverted to his original training, which was correct for a conventional airplane, but incorrect for the accident aircraft.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 24 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 1982
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 45 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Live Oak FL
- Destination: Live Oak FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from 40J, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC08CA136.