Amateur-built GL-25 accident near Worden, Montana, April 21, 2006
On April 21, 2006 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built GL-25, registered N27EP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Worden, Montana. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to failure of both electronic ignition systems. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2006 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Worden, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GL-25
- Registration
- N27EP · no longer on the register · serial 3027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to "check out and become familiar with a recent instrument panel upgrade performed by the local avionics shop during the past several months." After about 90 minutes of flight time, the new digital horizon indicator "had an over temperature warning," which the pilot later found was set to warn when the "local environment (behind the instrument panel)" temperature reached 120 degrees F. Within a few minutes, the engine lost power. The pilot noted that the two 5-amp circuit breakers for the two electronic ignition systems had popped and could not be reset. During the ensuing forced landing in a wheat field, the main landing gear sank into the soft ground and the "landing gear sheared off." Examination by the pilot and avionics shop personnel revealed a "dead short in each electronic ignition module." These modules were installed on the cabin side of the firewall as per the manufacturer's recommendation. The reason for the short circuits in the modules could not be determined; however, the pilot suspected "a heat related issue."
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 830 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.