Quicksilver Sport 2S accident near Geneva, Florida, July 29, 2009
On July 29, 2009 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Quicksilver Sport 2S, registered N781PJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Geneva, Florida (Southerland Strip Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Oil starvation due to air in the engine oil supply line, which resulted in engine seizure during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2009 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Geneva, Florida · Southerland Strip Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Quicksilver Sport 2S · all Sport 2Ss on the register
- Registration
- N781PJ · registry record · serial 0087
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he performed a routine pre-flight inspection and engine start, followed by a normal pre-takeoff checklist, including a magneto check. The takeoff and initial climb were uneventful; however, approximately 250 feet above ground level, the “engine quit abruptly; there was no sputtering.” The pilot maintained control and the airplane subsequently landed in high grass, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. He reported about 165 hours of total flight experience, which included about 93 hours in make and model. Postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a mechanic revealed an air bubble in the oil line and a scored piston, indicating that a lack of lubricating oil caused the piston to seize during operation. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot reported that he removed the oil filter, inspected it for contaminants, and reinstalled the same filter. According to the pilot, the engine was new in 2004 and had approximately 299 hours time in service.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 165 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 2, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 299 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 8, 2009; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 ULDCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FD92 Geneva FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: FD92 Geneva FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from SFB, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA09CA505.