# NTSB BFO95LA072: Kolb Twinstar, N7165L, Abingdon, VA, June 25, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 1995, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC) - Place: Abingdon, VA - Coordinates: 36.769737, -82.029045 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.7697&lon=-82.0290&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 31, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9062 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=BFO95LA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9062/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/BFO95LA072 ## Probable cause THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE CONDITION INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE AND THE INADEQUATE TRAINING RECEIVED BY THE STUDENT PILOT OWNER/BUILDER. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - base turn - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - maintenance,annual inspection - overdue, owner/builder - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, landing - object - antenna (contributing factor) - inadequate training(emergency procedure(s)), owner/builder (contributing factor) ## Analysis THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE TURN TO BASE LEG AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET AGL. ON FINAL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH NO MECHANICAL REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TWO CYCLE ENGINE IS TO 'LOADUP' AFTER AN EXTENDED TIME AT IDLE POWER. THE LAST CONDITON INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IN 1991. THE STUDENT PILOT'S AIRMAN CLASS 3 MEDICAL CERTIFICATE/STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED AND HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 1995, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Kolb Twinstar, N7165L, collided with a localizer antenna during an emergency landing at Virginia Highland Airport, Abingdon, Virginia. The student pilot was not injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the student pilot had taken off at 0910 from Virginia Highland Airport and had been doing touch and go landings when the two cycle engine lost power. The pilot stated he had just completed his turn to base leg at an altitude of approximately 300 feet, when the engine lost power. The pilot stated that one of the characteristics of a two cycle engine was to "loadup" after an extended time at idle power. The pilot decided he had sufficient altitude and would utilize the same traffic pattern to the runway. He thought he had made it to the runway when the airplane hit the top of the localizer antenna and flipped. The student pilot's airman class 3 medical certificate/student pilot certificate expired in August 1994, and had no signature for solo flight. The student pilot's logbook had no endorsements for dual instruction received. The student pilot stated, "he had not received dual instruction, but, had two flights with a friend in an airplane just like mine." The pilot did not know if the airplane had an engine out best glide airspeed. The experimental aircraft was assembled by the owner/builder student pilot without assistance or verification of the work completed. The last annual condition inspection was recorded on 8/10/91. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7165L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7165L-1995-08-26), registration cancelled 1995-08-26, S/N TS242 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Kolb Company TWINSTAR - Registry model: [Fricker Roy N KOLB TWINSTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/fricker-roy-n-kolb-twinstar) (registry code 056164M) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: TS-242 - Airframe hours: 345 - Engines: ROTAX 503 46 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Fricker, Roy N - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 20, 1994, 45 hours before - Airport: VJI, Virginia Highlands Arpt, runway 6, 4,470 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; medical: class 3, expired; seat: left; flight hours: 345 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: TRI ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19950625049339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950625049339A), Jun 25, 1995: Abingdon, VA, Destroyed. (-16) Aircraft operated contrary to FAR 91.9(a), experimental operating limitations require condition inspection each 12 calendar months w/written record of… 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. --- 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.