New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Smyrna Beac, Florida 32168
Thursday, December 6, 2007 12:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, "the purpose of the flight was to test a new instrument and conduct test approaches and landings to check flying characteristics at slower approach speeds. Previous approaches at 70 miles per hour (MPH) [were] too fast. After practicing slow flight and entering a stall speed into new instrument I was cleared for a 5-mile straight in approach to runway 2. After "dragging in" for 5-miles I attained my test final approach speed of 60 mph. There was a tree in my glide path so I climbed over it but underestimated my sink rate (which was the purpose of the test flight) the right gear snagged a limb which jerked me into a right hand roll. I applied power, leveled the wings, and pointed [the] nose ahead as it hit the ground. There were no visible markings on the runway to indicate a displaced threshold. The reason for the displaced threshold is the tree. If the runway was properly marked, I am sure I would have been reminded at least a mile out or one-half out that there was a displaced threshold and avoided the incident."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance while on final approach for landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/6/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City New Smyrna Beac
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32168
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 290312N
Event Location Longitude 0805634W
Event Location Airport New Smyrna Beach Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KEVB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 10
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KEVB
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.16
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23116
NTSB Notification Source EVB Tower
NTSB Notification Date Dec 6 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2008 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Orlando FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N130SX
NTSB Number MIA08CA025
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 Messing Roy
Aircraft Model Sonex
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 0013
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8.6
Airframe Hours 49.4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert C. Abbaticchio
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31 Andrea Dr.
Aircraft Owner City New Smyrna Beach
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32168
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 --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
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 KEVB
Departure City New Smyrna Beac
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1205
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KEVB
Destination City New Smyrna Beac
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 14 2008 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 2
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --