Unknown KOLB FIRESTAR II UNREG

Summary

On 21 June 1997 at about 21:00 local time, a Unknown KOLB FIRESTAR II registered UNREG, operated by Richard J. Clarke, was involved in an accident near Orlando, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 1997 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Orlando, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.5309, -81.4002

Aircraft

Unknown KOLB FIRESTAR II

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Richard J. Clarke

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97LA192

1 person died.

Inadvertent stall by the pilot while turning from the upwind to the crosswind leg. Contributing to the accident was the pilots lack of total experience in the make and model airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff while performing touch-and-go water landings about 500 feet above ground level, during a right bank, the engine was heard to backfire by a witness then the airplane was observed to pitch nose down and descend into the lake. The airplane came to rest inverted and the pilot was recovered by bystanders. The airplane was also recovered by bystanders and examination of the airframe and flight controls by an FAA airworthiness inspector revealed no preimpact failure or malfunction. The engine which separated from the airplane was also recovered but was not disassembled. Toxicological analysis was negative for all tested drugs. The pilot had reportedly only flown the accident airplane on about 5 flights for a total flight time of about 8 hours. He was advised by a pilot friend that the airplane would stall at higher airspeeds with the floats installed.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.