ATL93LA078

A pilot who was in an airplane on the ground awaiting takeoff saw the airplane on an angling base for runway 23. He described the airplane as being close in, in a left turn from the base leg to the final approach course. He stated that the airplane stalled and entered a spin. Afterwards he saw water from the lake, off the approach end of 23, splash up. The airport manager reported that the wind was gusty at the time of the accident, about 15 knots with gusts of 20 to 25 knots. An entry in the aircraft log reported the stall characteristics as slight buffet, then a left wing drop at about 45 knots IAS, flaps extended or retracted.

On April 19, 1993, at about 1200 eastern daylight time, a home built airplane, Van's Aircraft, Inc. RV-6 N316DD, collided with a lake during an approach to the Meadowlake Airport, Kingston, Tennessee. The airplane was operated by the registered owner/builder under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Both occupants, who held private pilot certificates, were fatally injured. There was substantial damage to the airplane. Origination of the flight was Lakeland, Florida, at about 0817 on the same day.

The airport manager reported that the airplane was approaching runway 23, between the base leg and the final approach course in a left turn, just before the accident. A witness, in an airplane awaiting take off, reported hearing a radio transmission that indicated an unspecified problem with N316DD. The witness stated to an inspector in the Nashville Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), that he saw the airplane "tight in" for runway 23; it turned left toward the runway, stalled, then entered a spin. He observed water splash up from the lake off the end of the runway, but did not see the impact. The airplane came to rest in water about 15 feet deep and about 300 feet from the shore.

At 0643, a weather briefing was provided by the Lakeland, Florida temporary Flight Service Station, to an individual who identified himself as the pilot of N316DD. The flight was from Lakeland to Kingston, Tennessee.

Rescue workers reported that the occupants of N316DD were located with their seat belts and shoulder harnesses fastened. The owner was found in the left seat with his hand on the yoke.

An airworthiness inspector from the Nashville FSDO examined the wreckage. He reported that the engine spark plugs had a normal appearance, and that no failures of the engine were found.

An entry was found in the aircraft log regarding the airplane's stall characteristics (attached). The entry stated that, in straight or turning flight, the stall departure consisted of a slight buffet with a left wing drop at about 45 knots indicated air speed, with flaps extended or retracted.

The airport manager reported that the winds were gusty at the time of the accident. He stated that the wind was about 15 knots with gusts to 20-25 knots.