Amateur-built SEAWIND 3000 accident near Bradenton, Florida, February 11, 1999
On February 11, 1999 at about 9:10 pm local time, a amateur-built SEAWIND 3000, registered N76SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bradenton, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Total loss of engine power due to a burned piston for undetermined reasons resulting in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain and the subsequent crash landing onto a golf course.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 1999 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Bradenton, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SEAWIND 3000 SEAWIND 30
- Registration
- N76SW · registry record · serial 008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during departure climb at 400 feet agl, his engine lost power and rpm decayed rapidly. His first inclination was to turn the amphibian toward a lake, but the power decay was too rapid, and he chose a golf course, instead. He was forced to make a late correction to his intended touchdown point due to golfers, and made a gear and flaps up, hard touchdown sustaining damage to the airplane. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed No. 2 piston had a hole burned completely through its skirt and top, and the nose crankshaft seal was blown out, allowing lubricating oil to escape overboard.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,089 hours in all; 203 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1998; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 9:05 pm
- Destination: JZI Charleston Ex SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from SRQ, 8 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.