Maxfly Inc/Mckay Wm SEAREY accident near Polk City, Florida, April 11, 2013
On April 11, 2013 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Maxfly Inc/Mckay Wm SEAREY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N914WM, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Polk City, Florida (Orlampa Incorporated Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of incorrect attachment hardware by maintenance personnel during an undocumented repair, which resulted in an in-flight structural failure and subsequent loss of aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the covering of the inspection port during the undocumented repair, which made it impossible for pilots or mechanics to inspect the attachment hardware for problems.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2013 · about 7:30 pm local time · cases in 2013
- Place
- Polk City, Florida · Orlampa Incorporated Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maxfly Inc/Mckay Wm SEAREY, amateur-built
- Registration
- N914WM · no longer on the register · serial 1DK290C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the amateur-built amphibian airplane performed normally during taxi operations and takeoff from the surface of the lake. About 100 feet above the lake, the pilot heard a "loud bang or crashing sound," and the airframe then twisted. The airplane entered an uncontrolled, spiraling descent until it contacted the water. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right/forward wing strut joint was disconnected from the leading edge and that the attachment bolts were fractured. Further examination revealed that the bolts were installed after the airplane's original assembly and that they were shorter than the prescribed bolts and had been installed opposite the prescribed direction, which likely resulted in fatigue cracking and the eventual shearing of the bolts during the accident flight. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the inspection port for the right wing strut attachment area had been covered during a previous, undocumented repair, which made it difficult for pilots or maintenance personnel to inspect the attachment hardware.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Aircraft structural failure 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 structures › Wing structure › Attach fittings (on wing) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion other cases naming the airframe structure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Attach fittings (on wing) › Incorrect service/maintenance other cases naming the airframe structure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Replacement › Maintenance personnel
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,980 hours in all; 745 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 3,945 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 880 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 6, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,370 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fly Away INC
The flight
- Departed from: FA08 Polk City FL at 9:30 pm
- Destination: FA08 Polk City FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KGIF, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on November 26, 2013. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Wreckage Inspection Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspection Concurrence Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Records Excerpts | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Maintenance Records Review Statement (FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photo 1 - View of Improper (Opposite Direction) Strut Bolt Installation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Photo 2 - View of Proper Strut Bolt Installation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photo 3 - View of Separated Strut Plate | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Photo 4 - View of Fractured (Improper) Bolts in Threaded Shank Portion | PDF, 1 page | 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
- N914WM: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Engine: Rotax SEE BOMBADIER · as the NTSB recorded it
- Orlampa INC Airport · 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/ERA13LA199.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.