Amateur-built Glassair II S accident near Palm City, Florida, May 27, 2005
On May 27, 2005 at about 3:35 pm local time, a amateur-built Glassair II S, registered N401KY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm City, Florida (Naked Lady Ranch 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
Improper maintenance by other maintenance personnel, which resulted in the throttle cable being loose and detaching from the throttle arm during takeoff, resulting in a 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
- May 27, 2005 · about 3:35 pm local time
- Place
- Palm City, Florida · Naked Lady Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Glassair II S
- Registration
- N401KY · no longer on the register · serial 2083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the takeoff was normal until just after rotation, when he felt a loss of power during the takeoff/initial climb. At an altitude of about 30 feet AGL, he said he saw that the engine rpm had dropped from 2270 rpm to about 1800 rpm, and he immediately concentrated on maintaining airspeed, which had dropped to about 60 to 65 mph. According to the pilot, all he could do was to maintain a wings-level attitude just above stall speed and fly the airplane into the trees. Postcrash examination of the accident airplane was performed by an FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic, under the supervision of an FAA Inspector. According the mechanic, the throttle cable was found to have pulled free of the hole/nut that secured the throttle cable to the throttle arm on the carburetor. No another anomalies were noted to exist any other airplane systems.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2004; 15 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 64FA Palm City FL at 3:35 pm
- Destination: 64FA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,300 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from SUA
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.