Unknown FREEBIRD SPORT UNREG

Summary

On 26 April 1998 at about 21:43 local time, a Unknown FREEBIRD SPORT registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Englewood, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 April 1998 at 21:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Englewood, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Buchan Airport (X36)

Coordinates

26.9494, -82.3499

Aircraft

Unknown FREEBIRD SPORT

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL98LA067

1 person died.

The inadvertent aerodynamic stall, and subsequent loss of control in-flight by the non-certificated pilot. A factor was the use of over the counter drugs which are known to cause drowsiness.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A non-registered FreeBird Sport homebuilt airplane collided with a house and subsequently the ground while on left base to runway 030 at the Buchan Airport in Englewood, Florida. The airplane was operated by a non-certificated pilot. A witness who was a pilot stated that he saw the airplane takeoff from Buchan Airfield. He said the airplane was in the air for about 3 to 5 minutes and then the engine sputtered. He said the airplane then went upside down and fell straight into the ground. Another witness, the cousin of the pilot stated that he was taking pictures of the airplane. He said it didn't appear that the pilot was having any difficulty with the airplane when it suddenly went upside down and fell straight to the ground. According to the FAA's Toxicological report the pilot had a high level of Diphenhydramine in the blood which would cause drowsiness.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.