- Date
- June 29, 1991, 20:05 local (Jun 30, 1991, 01:05 UTC)
- Place
- Staples, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N503BPKolb Twinstar MK II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910629024819A
- Case key
- 14856
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The disconnected elevator trim cable. Related factors are the inadequate maintenance/installation, and the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses reported they watched the ultralight take off and noted the elevator oscillating rapidly, 'fluttering.' They stated the aircraft climbed to about 200 feet above the ground (AGL), then the pilot began a turn back toward the airport. According to one witness: 'the airplane stalled, went into a spin and crashed.' The ultralight impacted terrain in a marshy area less than one mile from the departure airport. Post accident investigation revealed the trim tab control cable had unspooled from the trim tab wheel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N503BP
- Reported as
- Kolb Twinstar MK II (TWINSTAR M)
- Category
- Ultralight, amateur-built
- Serial number
- TS223
- Airframe hours
- 20
- Engine
- Rotax M503, 48 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William T. Poage
- Registered owner
- William T. Poage
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 1991 · 20 hours before
- Airport
- SAZ · Staples, runway 32, 3,304 × 75 ft
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 250 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 40° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BRD, 33 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.