Amateur-built 601HDS accident near Immokalee, Florida, June 14, 2003
On June 14, 2003 at about 5:20 pm local time, a amateur-built 601HDS, registered N601G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Immokalee, Florida (Immokalee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Excessive rotor distributor shaft clearance that resulted in damage to the distributor rotor, a loss of ignition, the engine ceasing to operate. This resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain and the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2003 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Immokalee, Florida · Immokalee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 601HDS
- Registration
- N601G · registry record · serial 6-3340
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner stated that he is the builder of the airplane, and was in cruise flight, at an altitude of 2,900 feet, operating on the flywheel-triggered ignition system, collecting performance data. He said he began a descent, and at 2,600 feet, about 5.6 miles from his destination, the engine suddenly ceased operating. He said he switched to the distributor ignition, observed normal fuel pressure and verified that there was adequate fuel in the header tank. He said he then communicated his emergency to air traffic control, and again attempted to restart the engine using the starter with both ignitions, but was unable to get the engine to start. He then made an approach to land in a field and during the landing rollout, the airplane flipped over due to the soft muddy soil, incurring substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot/owner stated that after the accident he examined the airplane to determine the reason the engine had ceased to operate, and he found that the distributor rotor had failed due to excessive shaft clearance. He said that the excessive clearance had allowed the rotor to wobble in its rotation, and contact the pins within the cap, which had resulted in the metal contact at the top, separating from the plastic base.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 288 hours in all; 178 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 239 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 27, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 175 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2003; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA81 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 5:00 pm
- Destination: IMM Immokalee FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from APF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.