Amateur-built Q-2 accident near Zephyrhills, Florida, December 27, 1989
On December 27, 1989 at about 8:32 pm local time, a amateur-built Q-2, registered N1UQ, was destroyed in an accident near Zephyrhills, 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1989 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- Zephyrhills, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q-2
- Registration
- N1UQ · no longer on the register · serial 2372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE Q2. ON INITIAL CLIMBOUT AT ABOUT 400 FEET AGL THE ENGINE QUIT. PLT MADE EMERGENCY LDG TO DRY PACKED CLAY FIELD. AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN 15 DEGREE NOSE UP WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE AT ABOUT 85 KNOTS. AIRPLANE BOUNCED UP AND STRUCK THE GROUND SEPARATING THE LEFT MAIN LDG GEAR FROM THE AIRFRAME. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER SITTING OUTSIDE FOR 2 YEARS WITHOUT BEING FLOWN OR SERVICED WITH FUEL. PILOT STATED HE HAD DRAINED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF WATER & DEBRIS FROM THE MAIN FUEL TANK. PILOT ELECTED NOT TO DEFUEL TANKS. AIRPLANE NOT CERTIFIED AIRWORTHY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 75 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Revmaster 2100 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from PIE, 33 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.
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.