ERA17LA306

Factual narrative

On September 1, 2017, about 1036 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Velocity SUV, N753GK, was substantially damaged while attempting to land at Albert Whitted Airport (SPG), St. Petersburg, Florida. The private pilot and the passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to a private company and operated by the pilot as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. No flight plan was filed for the flight that departed the Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Florida, about 0930.The pilot stated that he was aware of cranes near the approach end of the runway 18 and made sure he was high enough to clear them. The approach to land was steeper and faster than normal. He landed the airplane long and in instead of going around, he continued with the landing. The airplane went off the runway and into Tampa Bay, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot said there were no mechanical problems with the airplane and that accident was caused by his "bad choices" and a "mistake in judgment" to continue with the landing. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical was issued on December 5, 2011. The pilot said that he lost his logbook in the accident and reported a total of 525 to 600 flight hours. He built the airplane in 2002 and started flying it in 2003. He estimated he has flown the airplane about 40 hours per year since 2003. The pilot also said all the maintenance logbooks and paperwork for the airplane were lost in the accident. He did not know the exact date of the last inspection but recalled completing an "annual" in early 2017. Weather reported at the airport at 0953, was wind from 170° at 6 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 31°C, dew point 24°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. The private pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane stated that he began the approach high and made a steeper and faster approach to land than normal to clear cranes located near the end of the runway. He landed the airplane long and, instead of going around, continued with the landing. The airplane went off the runway and into the water, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane and that the accident was caused by his poor judgment to continue with the landing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

• C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
• — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Terrain-Water-Contributed to outcome