Amateur-built HORNET accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 20, 1999
On March 20, 1999 at about 3:00 pm local time, a amateur-built HORNET, registered N4376N, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Macivor Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's (owner/builder) inadvertent aerodynamic stall of the airplane after a total loss of engine power. Factors were the pilot's improper maintenance action and his lack of total experience in the airplane type.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 1999 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Macivor Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built HORNET
- Registration
- N4376N · registry record · serial 0030
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight and trailing behind another aircraft, the pilot reported a loss of engine power to the preceding pilot. Subsequently, the accident pilot reported there was no cylinder head temperature and the airplane had become a 'glider.' The preceding pilot reversed course and observed the accident airplane bank to the left, then descend nose first into the ground. Ground witnesses also observed the airplane turn left, then pitch nose down and descend into the ground. During the post crash examination of the engine, one rear cylinder spark plug was absent from the cylinder. The spark plug was recovered and an examination revealed that stripped cylinder thread material from the associated spark plug receptacle was lodged in the spark plug thread grooves. Maintenance records indicated that the pilot/owner/builder had replaced four spark plugs 1.5 hours prior to the accident flight.
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: 108 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 82 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, December 1, 1998; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,045 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 2:50 pm
- Destination: OBE Pahokee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from FLL, 12 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.