Stanley Ernie Sigurd KOLB MARK N9123R

Summary

On 20 April 2018 at about 22:30 local time, a Stanley Ernie Sigurd KOLB MARK registered N9123R was involved in an accident near Collegedale, Tennessee, 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

20 April 2018 at 22:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Collegedale, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Collegedale Muni (FGU)

Coordinates

35.0444, -85.0200

Aircraft

Stanley Ernie Sigurd KOLB MARK

Registration

N9123R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1995

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Collegedale → Collegedale

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA134

1 person died.

The pilot's loss of airplane control, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to take off in the nonairworthy airplane in which he had no training and his lack of flight experience in the 17 months before the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane's owner reported that the private pilot was supposed to be performing high-speed taxi testing of the experimental amateur-built airplane that they had just restored and built; the owner did not know that the pilot intended to take off. After two high-speed taxi tests, the owner heard the pilot apply "full power," and the airplane then lifted off the runway. A video of the takeoff showed that, after takeoff, the airplane had a high angle of attack and a steep angle of climb and that the tops of each wing were visible. The owner reported that, after takeoff, the airplane, turned right "above the trees" adjacent to the runway, and entered the traffic pattern then "leveled, banked left, and dove into the ground." A witness, who was located on the northeast end of the runway, stated that it sounded as though the pilot had reduced power before the turn but increased power during the descent and that the engine was "screaming" during the descent to ground impact. A review of the video revealed that the engine sound was smooth, continuous, and remained unchanged throughout the takeoff roll and the 45 seconds of the climb that was recorded; thus, it is unlikely that the airplane experienced an engine problem. According to the owner, he purchased the airplane disassembled and "half restored" from what appeared to be accident damage. He and the pilot completed the repairs and assembly of the airplane using a "build manual" and a set of plans. The owner did not have airframe or engine logbooks for the airplane, and a condition inspection had not been completed. The owner said the condition inspection was supposed to have been completed "before the first flight." The airplane kit manufacturer recommended formal training before attempting flight in the airplane make and model. The Federal Aviation Administration had also published an advisory circular (AC), which emphasized the importance of flight testing amateur-built airplanes, provided guidance on developing a plan for each phase of the amateur-built airplane's production, and suggested guidelines for the experience level of the test pilot. The guidance recommended a minimum of 40 hours of flight testing. The owner stated he was not familiar with the AC. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had no training in the accident airplane make and model and that he had not logged any flight experience in the 17 months before the accident. Given the witness statements and video evidence, it is likely the pilot lost airplane control shortly after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Given that the airplane was not airworthy, that the pilot had no training in the accident make and model airplane, that the airplane had not been fully tested after it was rebuilt, and that he had no flight experience in the 17 months before the accident, the pilot should not have decided to take off in the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.