Amateur-built Quicksilver accident near Polk City, Florida, September 25, 2009
On September 25, 2009 at about 7:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Quicksilver (ultralight), registered N69MX, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Polk City, Florida (World'S Greatest Aircraft Coll 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
The pilot’s failure to adequately inspect the landing gear floats for water prior to takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2009 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Polk City, Florida · World'S Greatest Aircraft Coll · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Quicksilver Sprint II
- Registration
- N69MX · registry record · serial 423
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot landed the amphibious ultralight on a lake, he taxied to the seaplane ramp and parked with about 25 percent of the floats in the water. After about 45 minutes, he attempted a takeoff on the lake and the ultralight would not lift off. He checked the floats and found a significant amount of water inside. He pumped out what he thought was all of the water and attempted another water takeoff; again the aircraft would not become airborne. He began to taxi back to the hangar and decided to perform a takeoff on the grass runway to avoid taxiing over some rough terrain. Shortly after takeoff, the nose pitched up to an excessive angle. The pilot attempted to maintain aircraft control; however the ultralight settled and impacted the runway, resulting in structural damage to the wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there was water in the floats after the accident and that he did not inspect the floats for water before the final takeoff attempt.
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
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Wheel/ski/float › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › CG/weight distribution › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 31, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2008; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 720 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582-UL-DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FA08 Polk City FL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: FA08 Polk City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LAL, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.