# NTSB CHI03LA009: Davis Early Bird Jenny, N1918N, Scottsburg, IN, October 11, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 11, 2002, 15:40 local (20:40 UTC) - Place: Scottsburg, IN - Coordinates: 38.656665, -85.79 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.6567&lon=-85.7900&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Indianapolis FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55895 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI03LA009 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55895/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI03LA009 ## Probable cause The pilot not maintaining aircraft control. Factors to the accident included the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin at a low altitude. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command - stall/spin - inadvertent, pilot in command (contributing factor) - altitude - low (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis While on crosswind leg the aircraft stalled, entered a spin, and subsequently impacted a lake. The accident flight was the first flight since being certified as an experimental homebuilt. The pilot reported he departed to the north and climbed through 200 feet above ground level (agl) prior to turning crosswind. The pilot stated that during the turn he "noticed the controls getting mushy. Another glance at the airspeed indicator now showed 30 mph! I instantly pushed the stick forward and applied right aileron to level the wings. Simultaneously the left wing dropped and the nose yawed left. The aircraft continued a little more than 360[degrees] left turn before the application of right rudder and increasing speed stopped it. I had just [enough] time to raise the nose from [approximately] 60[degrees] nose down to a 15-20[degree] nose low attitude before I impacted the water slightly left wing low." ## Factual narrative On October 11, 2002, at 1540 eastern standard time, an amateur-built Davis Early Bird Jenny, N1918N, piloted by an airline transport pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with water near Scottsburg, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at 1538 from Scottsburg Airport and was on crosswind at the time of the accident. According to the pilot's written statement, the accident flight was the first flight since being certified as an experimental homebuilt. The pilot reported he departed to the north and climbed through 200 feet above ground level (agl) prior to turning crosswind. The pilot stated that during the turn he "noticed the controls getting mushy. Another glance at the airspeed indicator now showed 30 mph! I instantly pushed the stick forward and applied right aileron to level the wings. Simultaneously the left wing dropped and the nose yawed left. The aircraft continued a little more than 360[degrees] left turn before the application of right rudder and increasing speed stopped it. I had just [enough] time to raise the nose from [approximately] 60[degrees] nose down to a 15-20[degree] nose low attitude before I impacted the water slightly left wing low." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1918N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1918N-2015-10-06), registration cancelled 2015-10-06, S/N CADEBJ001, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Davis Early Bird Jenny - Registry model: [Davis Christopher A EARLY BIRD JENNY](https://openairdocs.org/model/davis-christopher-a-early-bird-jenny) (registry code 05607VJ) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: CADEBJ001 - Airframe hours: 0.1 - Engines: Moto Guzzi V800T 60 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Registered owner: Christopher Antoine Davis - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, October 5, 2001, 0.1 hours before - Departed: 3R8, Scottsburg, IN - Destination: 3R8 - Airport: 3R8, Scottsburg Airport, runway 02, 2,750 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; injuries: minor; commercial, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 7, 2002; seat: rear; flight hours: 7,339 total, 0 in this make and model, 3,028 as pilot in command, 55 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 45° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 70 °F ## 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 20021011038029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021011038029A), Oct 11, 2002: Amtr EARLYBIRDJNY, Scottsburg, IN, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot advised that after departure from Scottsburg Airport and starting a crosswind turn, the controls became sluggish and the aircraft stalled. The… 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.