Polaris POLAR STAR UNREG
20 July 2011 · Dewees Island, South Carolina, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 20 July 2011 at about 22:15 local time, a Polaris POLAR STAR registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Dewees Island, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Dewees Island, South Carolina, United States
- Coordinates
- 32.8517, -79.7178
- Aircraft
- Polaris POLAR STAR
- Registration
- UNREG
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Dewees Island → Dewees Island
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA11LA415
People
2 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The non-certificated pilot’s operation of the unregistered airplane while impaired by alcohol. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s performance of aerobatic maneuvers that exceeded the structural limits of the aircraft, which resulted in failure of the wing due to overload.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Witnesses observed the non-certificated pilot perform a loop and start to perform another. As the weight-shift-control aircraft was at the top of the second loop, inverted, at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet above the water, the wing folded. The aircraft dropped straight down into shallow water. Although the aircraft, which consisted of a fabric-covered wing attached to an inflatable boat, met the definition of a light sport aircraft and should have been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), it was not registered. The aircraft was not certificated to perform aerobatic maneuvers. Toxicology testing on the pilot’s blood was positive for .069 g/dL ethanol. FAA regulations prohibit operation of an aircraft with blood alcohol levels above .040 g/dL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 2011 | Mitsubishi MU-2B-20 | Walterboro, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Feb 2011 | Globe GC-1B | Anderson, South Carolina, United States | Sigvaldsen Gary S | No injuries | - |
| 3 May 2011 | Aerospatiale AS350B2 | Camden, South Carolina, United States | Air Methods Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 6 Jan 2011 | Piper PA-28-235 | Lancaster, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jun 2011 | Piper PA18-160 | Ridgeville, South Carolina, United States | Atlanta Aerial Billboards | No injuries | - |
| 10 May 2011 | Flight CTLS | Troy, South Carolina, United States | Mint Air, LLC | No injuries | - |