# NTSB DEN89LA092: Poehls Bobcat, N80927, Billings, MT, March 23, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 23, 1989, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Billings, MT
- Coordinates: 45.760604, -108.56961 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7606&lon=-108.5696&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report March 12, 1990
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17685
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN89LA092
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17685/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN89LA092

## Probable cause

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AT AN ALTITUDE WHICH WAS TOO LOW TO PERMIT RECOVERY.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, approach
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

THE PLT RECEIVED A HEAD INJ IN THE ACDT AND SAID HE DID NOT REMEMBER THE DETAILS OF THE FLT. THE WRECKAGE OF THE MODIFIED ULTRALIGHT WAS LOCATED ON THE AIRPORT 200' E AND 150' S OF THE W END OF THE E/W RWY. THE INITIAL IMPACT PT WAS 8' W OF THE FINAL RESTING PLACE OF THE WRECKAGE. DAMAGE TO THE ACFT WAS CONCENTRATED ON THE FRONT OF THE ACFT. THE REAR SPARS OF BOTH WINGS WERE BROKEN AND THE WINGS WERE BENT FORWARD. THE PLT SAID HE THOUGHT THE ENG LOST POWER; HOWEVER, HE SAID EXAMINATION OF THE ENG AND WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY DEFICIENCIES.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N80927](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N80927-1989-12-21), registration cancelled 1989-12-21, S/N 2511 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: POEHLS BOBCAT
- Registry model: [Poehls William B BOBCAT](https://openairdocs.org/model/poehls-william-b-bobcat) (registry code 05616EU) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 2511
- Airframe hours: 43
- Engines: ROTAX 447 40 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Poehls, William B.
- Registered owner: William B Poehls
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Unknown, February 27, 1989, 1 hours before
- Departed: NONE
- Destination: NONE
- Airport: NONE, Oscar'S Greenland

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 586 total, 43 in this make and model, 1 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 50 °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 19890323004629A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890323004629A), Mar 23, 1989: Amtr BOBCAT1, Billings, MT, Substantial damage. Reported engine quit at 40 feet AGL on takeoff. Impacted on airport nose down. No memory of flight. Engine normal.

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.