# Accident 20040523015629A: Amtr SKYBOLT, Altus, OK, May 23, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2004, 13:00 local time
- Place: Altus, OK
- Airport: Altus Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Descent
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6986° N, 99.3381° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6986&lon=-99.3381&mi=10
- Aircraft: N25BM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR SKYBOLT
- Reported engine: LYC IO540*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total, 30 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW04LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA148) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040523015629A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) DURING AEROBATICS MANEUVERS THE PILOT NOTICED THE FABRIC OF THE TOP WING RIGHT SIDE COMING LOOSE AND DEPARTING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER, LOWERED HIS AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE AND RETURNED TO ALTUS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS. INVESTIGATION BY AN FAA, AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR, REVEALED THAT 1.7 OUNCE FABRIC WAS USED TO COVER THIS AIRCRAFT. THE WING RIB STITCHING HAD FAILED, ALLOWING THE WING FABRIC TO COME LOOSE, TEAR, AND ABOUT FIVE FEET OF FABRIC ON TOP OF THE TOP RIGHT WING AND ABOUT THREE FEET OF FABRIC ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TOP RIGHT WING DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT. ONE RIB WAS DAMAGED, AND TWO TRAILING EDGE RIBS WERE MISSING. THE TRAILING EDGE TUBE HAD ABOUT FIVE FEET MISSING. INSPECTION OF THE LEFT TOP WING REVEALED BROKEN WING STITCHING, BUT THE FABRIC HAD NOT YET FAILED.

## 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 FTW04LA148](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA148), May 23, 2004: Bruce Moore Skybolt (N25BM), Altus, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The partial in-flight separation of the wing fabric and rib structure due to an inadequate material installed by the airplane builder.

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.

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