ATL04LA057

The purpose of the flight was not known, however the unqualified person and a 6 year old passenger were on board the airplane at the time of the accident. The witnesses at the accident site stated, the airplane took off to the south and was flying approximately 500 feet above the ground, when it circled to come back (to land). Witnesses stated that the airplane pitched up, then down, and entered a spin to the right. The airplane spun around about 4 to 6 times before the airplane collided with the ground. The eyewitnesses rushed to the accident site and found the downed airplane. They also reported that the rear mounted engine was still running and the propeller was turning upon their arrival at the accident site. The post -accident examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane rested in a nose down attitude in an open field. The nose section of the airplane was buried several inches into the mud. The empennage section of the airplane was attached to the airframe. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers appeared not to be damaged. Both wing tips were touching the ground at the point were the airplane rested. The post-accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose any mechanical malfunction or component failure. No pilot log books were recovered for examination, and there were also no records of the pilot's qualification as a trainer in the Skyboy airplane.

On December 20, 2003, at 1400 central standard time, an unregistered Interplane Skyboy light sport aircraft, owned and operated by a private individual, collided with the ground while maneuvering near Covington, Tennessee. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, an visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed. The unqualified person (pilot) was fatally injured, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed a private airstrip near Covington, Tennessee, on December 20, 2003, at an undetermined time.

The purpose of the flight was not known, however the unqualified person and a 6 year old passenger were on board the airplane at the time of the accident. According to a witnesses at the accident site, the airplane took off to the south and was flying approximately 500 feet above the ground, when it circled to come back (to land). Witnesses stated that the airplane pitched up, then down, and entered a spin to the right. The airplane spun around about 4 to 6 times before the airplane collided with the ground. The eyewitnesses rushed to the accident site and found the downed airplane. They also reported that the engine was still running and the propeller was turning upon their arrival at the accident site.

The post -accident examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane rested in a nose down attitude in an open field. The nose section of the airplane was buried in the mud. The engine in a Skyboy is mounted on the aft portion of the center of the wing assemble. There was no apparent damage to the engine or propeller assemblies. The empennage section of the airplane was attached to the airframe. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers also appeared not to be damaged. Both wing tips were touching the ground at the point were the airplane rested. The post-accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose any mechanical malfunction or component failure.

According to the Skyboy flight manual, the airplane is a Federal Aviation Administration Part 103 legal ultra light trainer for ultra light flight instruction. The airplane is powered by a Rotax 582 reciprocating 65 horse power engine. The review of the Skyboy Log Book revealed that the airplane had flown about 16 total hours including 13 hours of production test flight. The production test flight program started on September 3, 2003 and was completed on September 10, 2003. Subsequent to the production test flight activities, the pilot flew an additional 3.5 hours.

No pilot log books were recovered for examination , but according to the Skyboy Log Book the pilot had flown 3.5 hours between December 6, and December 12, 2003. There were also no record of the pilot's qualification as a trainer in the Skyboy airplane.

The cause of death was reported on the pilot's death certificate as "multiple bodily injuries." An autopsy was not performed.