Belcher William B Ii FIRESTAR N43341

Summary

On 6 March 2010 at about 22:45 local time, a Belcher William B Ii FIRESTAR registered N43341 was involved in an accident near Wetumpka, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 March 2010 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Wetumpka, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

32.6919, -86.2589

Aircraft

Belcher William B Ii FIRESTAR

Registration

N43341

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wetumpka → Wetumpka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10LA166

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot’s in-flight loss of control as a result of previous damage to the airplane from an undetermined event.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot stated that he was performing a series of local flights in an experimental amateur-built airplane. During his second takeoff and climb, he attempted to maneuver the airplane in a level attitude. The airplane pitched downward further than expected and he was able to maintain a shallow descent by commanding full up elevator. The student pilot applied power and the airplane rolled 90 degrees left while diving straight down. The airplane leveled out just prior to the wings impacting trees. After exiting the airplane, the student pilot observed that the left horizontal stabilizer was loose and the tail stinger tube was broken. He had performed a preflight inspection and did not notice anything abnormal prior to the flight. On-scene examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the tailwheel stinger tube and lower rudder hinge were fractured and that the damage was consistent with damage caused prior to the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.