Sebring Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sebring, Florida 33870
Saturday, July 7, 2001 12:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A experimental ARV 582 airplane impacted the ground on take off in Sebring, Florida. According to witnesses, after departing runway 18, the experimental airplane banked to the right and collided with the ground, in nose low attitude. No evidence of mechanical malfunction or any flight control problems were discovered during the examination of the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain flying speed, followed by a subsequent inadvertent stall spin.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1217
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Sebring
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33870
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? Yes
Event Location Latitude 272738N
Event Location Longitude 0812054W
Event Location Airport Sebring Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SEF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 63
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PGD
Elevation of weather observation facility 63
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) 1901
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12124
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2002 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3395H
NTSB Number ATL01LA077
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Kenneth West
Aircraft Model ARV 582
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number DR 1010
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 19 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 578
Airframe Hours 578
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Clifton H. Canter
Aircraft Owner Street Address 256 Huntley Drive
Aircraft Owner City Lake Placid
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33852
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Lake Placid
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33852
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SEF
Departure City Sebring
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1217
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SEF
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record May 31 2002 1:43PM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5190
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --