# Accident 20010402005479A: Amtr SKYBOLT, Smithfield, NC, April 2, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 2, 2001, 17:40 local time - Place: Smithfield, NC - Airport: Johnston County Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.5004° N, 78.3404° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5004&lon=-78.3404&mi=10 - Aircraft: N58JM, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N58JM-2002-02-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Mistrot Jacques SKYBOLT (registry code 05607DK, https://openairdocs.org/model/mistrot-jacques-skybolt) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR SKYBOLT - Reported engine: LYC IO540C4B5 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 25,000 total, 10 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL01LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA046) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010402005479A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) A/C TOOK OFF ON FIRST FLIGHT SINCE BUILT, AT APPROX. 300 FEET AGL A/C ROLLED TO THE LEFT. A/C WAS RECOVERED HEADING TOWARDS THE TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY, WHICH WERE SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED. (.19) ON APRIL 2, 2001, AT 1740 EDT, A JACQUES J. MISTROT, SKYBOLT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM RUNWAY 03 AT THE JOHNSTON COUNTY AIRPORT IN SMITHFIELD, NC. THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT FOR THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.THE TEST FLIGHT DEPARTED SMITHFIELD, NC AT 1739. REPORTEDLY, THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE RECENTLY BUILT EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT, THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND INTIAL CLIMB APPEARED NORMAL. AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED THE CLIMB THROUGH 200 FEET, IT WAS OBSERVED ENTERING A LEFT TURN UNTIL THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. (.4)ON APRIL 2, 2001, AT 1740 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A JACQUES J. MISTROT, SKYBOLT, N58JM, AN EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF FROM RUNWAY 03 AT THE JOHNSTON COUNTY AIRPORT IN SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA. THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT FOR THE OWNER UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED, AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE TEST FLIGHT DEPARTED SMITHFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA, AT 1739. REPORTEDLY, THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE ENGINE HAD BEEN RUNNING CONTINUOUSLY DURING 3 SEPARATE 45 MINUTE TAXI SESSIONS. DURING EACH CHECK THE ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY WITH AN RPM VARYING FROM 800-2375. THE OPERATOR STATED, "IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FIRST FLIGHT ON THE AFTERNOON OF APRIL 2, 2001, THE PILOT AND MYSELF ACCOMPLISHED A COMPLETE PREFLIGHT AND WALK-AROUND INSPECTION. DURING THE INSPECTION ALL CONTROL SURFACES WERE CAREFULLY EXAMINED FOR RANGE AND PROPER ATTACHMENT. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, INCLUDING OIL AND FUEL QUANTITIES, WERE CAREFULLY CHECKED." ACCORDING TO WITNESSES AT THE AIRPORT, THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND INITIAL CLIMB APPEARED NORMAL. AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED THE CLIMB THROUGH 200 FEET, IT WAS OBSERVED ENTERING A LEFT TURN UNTIL THE AIRPLANE DEVELOPED A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT HELD AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE AND WAS A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. HIS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WAS 25,000 HOURS, AND THE APPROXIMATE FLIGHT TIME IN THE SKYBOLT 10 HOURS. THE PILOT HELD A CURRENT SECOND-CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, DATED DECEMBER 8, 2000. THE PILOT HAD A PROSTHETIC LEG. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR COMPONENT FAILURES. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION AND THE FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY OF THE PILOT WAS PERFORMED BY DR. CHANCELLOR AT THE OFFICE OF STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER IN CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA, ON APRIL 3, 2001. THE TOXICOLOGY EXAMINATIONS WERE NEGATIVE FOR ALCOHOL. ATROPINE AND LIDOCAINE WERE DETECTED IN THE BLOOD AND LIVER. THESE DRUGS ARE COMMONLY USED DURING RESUSCITATION. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THERE WAS ATTEMPTED ON SITE RESUSCITATION. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL01LA046](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA046), Apr 2, 2001: Jacques J. Mistrot Skybolt (N58JM), Smithfield, NC, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during climb out that resulted in the in-flight collision with the ground. A factor was the physical impairment. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.