Amateur-built Seawind 3000 accident near Sarasota, Florida, June 18, 2005
On June 18, 2005 at about 10:07 pm local time, a amateur-built Seawind 3000, registered N7117, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida. 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
Maintenance personnel failure to secure throttle linkage on the carburetor which resulted in loss of engine power and a collision with a building.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 2005 · about 10:07 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Seawind 3000
- Registration
- N7117 · registry record · serial 71
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The homebuilt experimental airplane was on it’s second flight after assembly when it lost engine power, struck a two story building, and collided with the ground in a field. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage, empennage, and both wings were separated. The fuselage, including the cockpit were fire damaged. The engine was rotated at the crankshaft flange and internal gear and valve train continuity was confirmed. All six cylinders produced compression. Examination of the throttle connection inside of the power plant compartment revealed the AN310 castle nut had no cotter pin installed. The nut was backed-off counterclockwise on the threaded shaft and no longer secured the lever arm to the throttle shaft. The last maintenance performed on the throttle linkage on the carburetor is unknown.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,750 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 1, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 9:57 pm
- Destination: Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from SRQ, 6 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.