Stol UC-1 Twin Bee accident near Bunnell, Florida, July 4, 2008
On July 4, 2008 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Stol UC-1 Twin Bee, registered N9509U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bunnell, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2008 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bunnell, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stol UC-1 Twin Bee · all UC-1 Twin Bees on the register
- Registration
- N9509U · no longer on the register · serial 021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) and the student pilot of the UC-1 Twin Bee completed one uneventful landing on a lake. The CFI then decided to practice glassy water landings with the student, and took off to land on a different lake. A witness stated that the airplane "bounced" when it first contacted the water, and the airplane's right pontoon separated from the wing when it "hit" the water on a second touchdown. The airplane then turned 180 degrees, and sank. The airplane sustained substantial damage from the accident. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 11 miles to the southeast, at the time of the accident, were calm.
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 landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Water › Not specified
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 85 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-B1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-B1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XFL Palm Coast FL at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from OMN, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.