Amateur-built TAYLOR/COOT-A accident near Punta Gorda, Florida, December 27, 1984
On December 27, 1984 at about 2:25 pm local time, a amateur-built TAYLOR/COOT-A, registered N24GL, was destroyed in an accident near Punta Gorda, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1984 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Punta Gorda, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TAYLOR/COOT-A TAYLOR/COO
- Registration
- N24GL · registry record · serial GG-9
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED HARD, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, AFTER COMPLETION OF THE FIRST TAKEOFF AND FLT AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PLT SHUT OFF THE ENG, EXITED THE ACFT & INSPECTED FOR DAMAGE. HE THEN RESTARTED THE ENG AND TOOK OFF AGAIN.THE PLT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT THE ACFT HAD LIMITED AILERON CONTROL DURING THIS 2ND FLT. UPON LOOKING THE ACFT OVER FROM THE COCKPIT DURING FLT, THE PLT SAID HE NOTICED THE ANTI-GROUND LOOP RODS WERE BENT AFT WHICH LIMITED THE AILERON TRAVEL SPACE. THE PLT FURTHER STATED THAT HE MANAGED TO FLY THE PATTERN BUT UPON REACHING THE BASE LEG, THE CANOPY CAME OPEN. WHILE THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE CANOPY, THE ACFT STALLED, SPUN & IMPACTED TREES/GROUND. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HOWEVER, A LARGE RUPTURE WAS NOTED IN THE FUSELAGE FUEL TANK. THE LEFT WING CONTAINED A 3/8' METAL ROD PROTRUDING DOWNWARD THAT WAS BENT AFT AND WHICH SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HAVING SCRAPED AN ASPHALT SURFACE.
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: 560 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGD Punta Gorda FL at 9:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 pm from FMY, 43 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N24GL 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.