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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2009 · about 12:30 pm local time · cases in 2009
- Place
- Geneva, Florida · Southerland Strip Airport · cases near this 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 other cases naming the engine
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Incorrect service/maintenance other cases naming the engine
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 2009. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Correspondence | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N781PJ on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Quicksilver SPORT 2 27 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Quicksilver 138 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rotax 582 ULDCDI 100 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Southerland Strip · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 984 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,709 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA09CA505.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.