Pilot Debrief

KOLB FIRESTAR near Atmore, AL — 2018-05-11

Final reportWPR18LA142
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Date
2018-05-11
Location
Atmore, AL, USA
Aircraft
KOLB FIRESTAR
Registration
N9216E
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The noncertificated pilot's failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of flight experience and qualification.

NTSB narrative

The noncertificated pilot had purchased the experimental amateur-built airplane about 1 year before the accident and had accrued about 4 hours of experience in the airplane make and model. His wife reported that the accident flight was his first actual flight in the airplane, as his previous activities had been limited to taxiing and a maneuver in which the airplane intentionally became momentarily airborne while traveling down the runway. An externally mounted onboard video camera recorded the pilot's entire 13-minute personal flight and showed that after takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of about 500 to 750 ft above ground level. About 6 minutes after takeoff, the airplane began maneuvers consistent with an aerodynamic stall and spin. The airplane first banked and turned sharply right, the nose pitched down, and then the airplane banked and turned sharply left, descending rapidly during this sequence. Within a few seconds, the airplane struck a tree and then impacted the ground; the fuselage, tail boom, and wings sustained substantial damage. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot indicated that his total flight time was about 36 hours, most of which were accrued about 20 years before the accident. The pilot's limited overall flight experience, combined with his lack of recent flight training or any instruction in the accident airplane make and model, likely prevented him from recognizing, avoiding, and recovering from an aerodynamic stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the flight when experiencing control issues during cruise.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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