# NTSB CEN09LA492: Stirling Starduster, N1XY, Earlham, IA, August 1, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 1, 2009, 18:57 local (23:57 UTC) - Place: Earlham, IA - Coordinates: 41.490001, -94.121391 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4900&lon=-94.1214&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-aerobatics: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 74443 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA492 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74443/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74443 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA492 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the ground during an aerobatic maneuver. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Stirling John B STARDUSTER TOO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=86603BB), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Stirling John B STARDUSTER TOO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md?model=86603BB), [All aircraft, 1,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062012/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-aerobatics: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Stirling John B STARDUSTER TOO, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=86603BB), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to a sheriff’s incident report, a witness observed the experimental amateur-built biplane perform a roll and then enter into a loop. The report indicated that, as “the plane was coming out of the loop, it did not have enough altitude and that is when it struck the ground." The airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted a field. An examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no mechanical anomalies. ## Factual narrative On August 1, 2009, about 1857 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Stirling Starduster biplane, N1XY, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a field following low level maneuvers near Earlham, Iowa. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The private pilot received serious injuries. The local personal flight originated at time unknown. According to a Dallas County Sheriff’s incident report, a witness observed the airplane perform a roll and then attempted to perform a loop. The report indicated that as “the plane was coming out of the loop, it did not have enough altitude and that is when it struck the ground.” The pilot held a private pilot certificate. His last application for a medical certificate was on October 31, 2005, and on that application he indicated that he had accumulated 900 hours of total flight time. N1XY was an experimental amateur-built Stirling Starduster single-engine, propeller-driven, fixed tailwheel, two-seat, biplane. According to registration and airworthiness records, the biplane was powered by a 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360-A4A engine, serial number L-26691-36A and it drove a Sensenich 78 EM8 fixed pitch propeller. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies. The pilot was sent an accident report form and a completed one has not been received by the NTSB. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1XY](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1XY-2013-06-07), registration cancelled 2013-06-07, S/N 466, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: STIRLING STARDUSTER - Registry model: [Stirling John B STARDUSTER TOO](https://openairdocs.org/model/stirling-john-b-starduster-too) (registry code 86603BB) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 466 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Price James F. - Registered owner: Price James F. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: PVT, EARLHAM, IA - Destination: PVT, EARLHAM, IA - Airport: PVT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; flight hours: 900 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: DSM, 20 nm away ## 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 20090801016469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090801016469A), Aug 1, 2009: Amtr STARDUSTER2, Earlham, IA, Destroyed. (-23) A witness observed the flight prior to the accident and stated that the aircraft took off and did a roll. It then did a loop with too low of an altitude.… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74443. 45 KB in all. - Police Report Excerpt (item 1, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40327837&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Police%20Report%20Excerpt-Master.PDF 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.