Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 N580RG

Summary

On 3 February 2008 at about 21:17 local time, a Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 registered N580RG, operated by Proctor Lawrence D, was involved in an accident near Elkin, North Carolina, 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

3 February 2008 at 21:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Elkin, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Elkin Municipal Airport (ZEF)

Coordinates

36.2811, -80.7803

Aircraft

Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4

Registration

N580RG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Proctor Lawrence D

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elkin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA08FA052

1 person died.

The pilot's decision to attempt an aerobatic maneuver in close proximity to the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident pilot and the pilots of 2 other airplanes departed from runway 07. After takeoff, the accident pilot turned downwind, base, and final for runway 07, and performed a low pass, flying over the runway at an estimated altitude of 8 feet above ground level (agl). Witnesses reported that when the flight was near the departure end of runway 07, the airplane was observed to pitch up and roll to the left while continuing to climb. One pilot-rated witness reported that at the top of the climb at about 250 to 300 feet agl, the airplane appeared to perform a "split s" type maneuver, and the pilot appeared to have "...dished out of the roll...." The airplane began descending in a nose-low attitude, and the witness further reported that before losing sight of the airplane due to obstructions, the airplane was flying nearly perpendicular to the runway and began a rapid nose-up pitch change. The witness then observed a fireball. Prior to landing the airplane earlier that day, the pilot performed a "poorly executed aileron roll" at a low altitude. The pilot was not wearing a parachute as required for aerobatic flight, and was below the 1,500 feet agl requirement for executing aerobatic maneuvers. Postaccident examination of the flight control system revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions, nor were any identified with the engine or any other system onboard the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.