What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On September 21, 2008 at 1901 hours local a 1973 sorrel amateur built Skybolt, serial number 22001 crashed unoccupied in an open field in Williamstown, Kentucky. The pleasure flight of one pilot and one passenger originated from the gene snyder airport (K62). Due to the nature of his injuries the pilot has not responded to request for interview. According to the passenger the flight lasted approximately 15-20 minutes before the engine stopped operating. The passenger stated there was a puff of black smoke a violent shake, and the engine stopped. After a failed attempt to restart the engine the pilot and passenger made the decision to jump from the aircraft and utilize parachutes rather than attempting a forced landing in the field below. Both the pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries when they impacted the ground. The aircraft crashed in a nose down attitude. There was no post crash fire. A tear down investigaton of the engine revealed failure of the nr 2 connectiong rod. The rod cap separated allowing a disconnect between the crank shaft and connecting rod, seizing the engine. At the direction of the NTSB the FAA retains custody of the subject engine for further investigation.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2008 AT 1901 HOURS LOCAL A 1973 SORREL AMATEUR BUILT SKYBOLT, SERIAL NUMBER 22001 CRASHED UNOCCUPIED IN AN OPEN FIELD IN WILLIAMSTOWN, KENTUCKY. THE PLEASURE FLIGHT OF ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ORIGINATED FROM THE GENE SNYDER AIRPORT (K62). DUE TO THE NATURE OF HIS INJURIES THE PILOT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO REQUEST FOR INTERVIEW. ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER THE FLIGHT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ENGINE STOPPED OPERATING. THE PASSENGER STATED THERE WAS A PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE A VIOLENT SHAKE, AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. AFTER A FAILED ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE THE PILOT AND PASSENGER MADE THE DECISION TO JUMP FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND UTILIZE PARACHUTES RATHER THAN ATTEMPTING A FORCED LANDING IN THE FIELD BELOW. BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES WHEN THEY IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. A TEAR DOWN INVESTIGATON OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FAILURE OF THE NR 2 CONNECTIONG ROD. THE ROD CAP SEPARATED ALLOWING A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE CRANK SHAFT AND CONNECTING ROD, SEIZING THE ENGINE. AT THE DIRECTION OF THE NTSB THE FAA RETAINS CUSTODY OF THE SUBJECT ENGINE FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.