Amateur-built MERLIN GT accident near Fort Myers, Florida, April 19, 1997
On April 19, 1997 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built MERLIN GT, registered N2100S, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida (Pine Shadows Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and subsequent collision with the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's failure to use all available runway, and his failure to recognize the reduced performance of the aircraft, when it was configured with floats, and was flown with two occupants aboard, with the doors locked open.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1997 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · Pine Shadows Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MERLIN GT
- Registration
- N2100S · registry record · serial 94014
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the amphibious/homebuilt aircraft elected to take off from an intersection of a taxiway and runway from which there was 1,600 feet of runway remaining. The passenger stated that after departure, while climbing through 250 feet, the pilot began pumping the throttle as if he was trying to get more power out of the engine. The passenger did not notice a loss of engine power. As the pilot pumped the throttle, the aircraft stalled and entered a spin to the left from which it crashed. After the accident, the engine was operated to full power with no evidence of failure or malfunction. The fuel oil mixture appeared normal in color, the engine showed no damage from oil starvation, and the spark plugs had deposit coloring consistent with normal operation. No evidence of malfunction of the aircraft structure or flight control systems was found. A representative of the company that produced the aircraft kit stated the aircraft on floats with the 65 horsepower engine was under-powered and that they normally did not fly it with 2 persons onboard. The passenger noted that the cabin doors were locked open and that there was a lot of noise in the aircraft. The company representative said the aircraft flew fine with the doors locked up, although this would reduce performance.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1997; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 95FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:57 pm from FMY, 10 miles away
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 N2100S 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.