Amateur-built One Design accident near Lake Wales, Florida, September 20, 2006
On September 20, 2006 at about 5:34 pm local time, a amateur-built One Design, registered N973D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Lake Wales Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of control for an undetermined reason during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2006 · about 5:34 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Lake Wales Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built One Design
- Registration
- N973D · no longer on the register · serial 73D
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the amateur-built experimental category airplane on a dry, paved runway. FAA inspectors reported that tire marks on the runway indicated the airplane touched down on the runway, and at some point during the landing roll it veered left of the runway centerline. The airplane nosed over on the western edge of the runway. The airplane's canopy was crushed during the accident sequence and the pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. There were no witnesses to the accident. The pilot of a departing aircraft reported seeing the wreckage during his initial climb from the airport. The hourly Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) was, in part, wind from 280 degrees (true) at 10 knots; visibility, 15 statute miles; temperature 29 degrees C; altimeter, 29.91 inches.
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: 3,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD88 Fort Pierce FL
- Destination: X07 Lake Wales FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,003 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from KBOW, 8 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.