# NTSB ERA25LA368: Elmore Travis C Searey, N2090S, Rotonda West, FL, September 28, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: September 28, 2025, 11:26 local (15:26 UTC)
- Place: Rotonda West, FL · on beach on north end of island
- Coordinates: 26.898298, -82.338561 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.8983&lon=-82.3386&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 201737
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA368
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/201737/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA368

## Preliminary report

On September 28, 2025, at 1126 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Searey, N2090S, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Stump Pass, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the preflight, taxi, and takeoff were all normal with no observed anomalies. After departing from Manatee Airport, Palmetto, Florida, the pilot stated he flew for about an hour and a half in the local area. While flying north along the beach at about 300 ft above ground level, the pilot reported that the engine RPM dropped to about idle. The pilot pushed the nose down, pushed the throttle to maximum, and turned on the second fuel boost pump. The pilot reported there was no change in RPM and the engine continued to operate at idle. The pilot determined he would be unable to make it back to an airport and so he performed a forced landing in choppy water. During the landing, the airplane’s nose impacted a wave. A postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and to the horizontal stabilizer. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Elmore Travis C SEAREY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05615C2), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2090S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2090S), registered now, S/N 1MK316C, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ELMORE TRAVIS C SEAREY
- Registry model: [Elmore Travis C SEAREY](https://openairdocs.org/model/elmore-travis-c-searey) (registry code 05615C2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1MK316C
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 1330
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, November 30, 2024, 118 hours before
- Departed: 48X, Palmetto, FL
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 40° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observed at: KPGD, 18 nm away
- METAR: METAR KPGD 281553Z 04009KT 10SM CLR 31/22 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP125 T03110222=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250928021149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250928021149A), Sep 28, 2025: Elmore Travis C SEAREY, Englewood, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot in command(PIC) was flying along the beach headed north and the engine RPM dropped severely. He pushed nose down, set the throttle to maximum and turned…

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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