Cosmos PHASE III accident near Fernandina Beach, Florida, May 1, 2018
On May 1, 2018 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 2003 Cosmos PHASE III (weight-shift aircraft), registered N6466, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Fernandina Beach, Florida (Fernandina Beach Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the flight instructor’s failure to adequately monitor the student pilot before aircraft control was lost at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2018 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Fernandina Beach, Florida · Fernandina Beach Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cosmos PHASE III NO SERIES, built 2003
- Registration
- N6466 · no longer on the register · serial 1117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during the initial climb for the instructional flight in the weight-shift-control trike, the student pilot was manipulating the controls. About 700 ft above ground level, the aircraft suddenly entered a "hard" left bank. The flight instructor took control of the aircraft but was unable to recover control before the aircraft impacted terrain in a nose-down attitude, which resulted in substantial damage. The flight instructor did not recall if there was a mechanical malfunction or failure but reported that the student pilot was known to freeze on the controls and the student could have been fighting him. It is likely that the flight instructor was not adequately monitoring the student pilot when the aircraft entered the excessive turn and that, due to the low altitude, he did not have sufficient time to recover control before the collision.
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 initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: FHB Fernandina Beach FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: FHB Fernandina Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,301 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from KFHB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 26, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.