Amateur-built Sportsman 2+2 accident near Fort Meade, Florida, March 14, 2024
On March 14, 2024 at about 6:42 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built Sportsman 2+2, registered N76TG, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Fort Meade, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate inspection of the airplane following an inflight smoke event, which result in separation of the exhaust pipe and hot exhaust igniting the engine cowling, and a subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2024 · about 6:42 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Meade, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sportsman 2+2, built 2009
- Registration
- N76TG · registry record · serial 7278
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to depart but smelled smoke and returned to the airport. After removing the engine cowling and briefly examining the area of the engine, he secured a “scat tube” to an engine mount with a zip tie and then elected to depart on the accident flight. Shortly after departing, smoke began to enter the cockpit and the engine noise changed. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane’s landing gear dug into the ground; the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted and was subsequently consumed by fire. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the engine’s exhaust pipe was missing and there was evidence of the components in that area having been exposed to extremely high temperatures. Additionally, fire damage was noted on the lower engine cowling, engine fluid lines, carburetor, and other components beneath the engine. Given these findings, it is likely that hot exhaust from the broken/missing exhaust pipe ignited the composite materials of the lower engine cowling, compromising the fluid lines and other induction components beneath the engine, and resulting in the loss of engine power described by the pilot. Given the pilot’s description of having initially smelled smoke, which prompted his initial return to the airport, had he (or other maintenance personnel) conducted a more thorough examination of the airplane, it is possible that the exhaust leak could have been detected before it resulted in an inflight fire and subsequent loss of engine power.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,387 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 3, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 271 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 11, 2023
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 271 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FD25 Vero Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from BOW, 12 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBOW 141850Z 00000KT 10SM BKN045 29/17 A3009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
INVESTIGATIVE PHOTOS Photograph 1 – Airplane on fire.
INVESTIGATIVE PHOTOS Photograph 2 – main wreckage.
INVESTIGATIVE PHOTOS Photograph 3 – Muffler with missing pipe and melted cover.
INVESTIGATIVE PHOTOS Photograph 4 – Melted carburetor and fuel lines.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 2, 2025. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.