Amateur-built BB Trike accident near Sarasota, Florida, February 24, 2007
On February 24, 2007 at about 4:21 pm local time, a amateur-built BB Trike, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 2007 · about 4:21 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BB Trike
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the aircraft and also warmed up the engine before takeoff. After takeoff with a full fuel tank, he orbited the departure point while climbing to 800 feet. He then proceeded away from the departure point and while flying at 800 feet near a major highway (I-75), the engine suddenly lost power. He mentioned to the passenger that he would land there (he actually wanted to land in the median), but she panicked. He then proceeded towards a road and entered a traffic pattern for landing on it. While on the downwind leg for landing on the road, a car pulled onto it. He then opted to land on a bank near a small pond, and a thermal caused the aircraft to descend. He recovered at 30 feet, and told the passenger to hold on. He was lined up to fly between trees and tried to flare but the aircraft impacted the ground. After getting out of the aircraft he helped the passenger out. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
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
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sarasota FL at 4:11 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KSRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.