# NTSB ERA09LA281: Polaris Motors 582 FIB, N171MB, Lexington, SC, May 4, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 4, 2009, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC) - Place: Lexington, SC - Coordinates: 33.786945, -81.094718 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7869&lon=-81.0947&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report June 17, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 73772 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA09LA281 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73772/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73772 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA09LA281 ## Probable cause The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the non-certificated pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model airplane. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: total experience w/ equipment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05903VT), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the passenger, her father was the pilot. She stated that neither one of them had ever been in the experimental airplane before. She added that they "put their seatbelts on took off and came down." The passenger also reported that the engine ran continuously throughout the accident sequence. The pilot's son, who was watching the takeoff, stated that after rotation and during the climb, the airplane started a turn to the left toward rising terrain. The pilot attempted to climb over the rising terrain and trees. It appeared to the son that the airplane stalled and crashed into the trees. Examination of the airplane revealed no abnormalities that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane. ## Factual narrative On May 4, 2009, about 1345 eastern daylight time, an experimental Polaris Motors 582 FIB weight-shift aircraft, N171MB, crashed into trees and subsequently the ground shortly after takeoff from Lake Murray, Lexington, South Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The non-certificated pilot and passenger received serious injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. According to the passenger, her father was the pilot. She stated that neither of them had ever been in the airplane before. She added that they "put their seatbelts on took off and came down." When asked if the engine ran normally throughout the accident sequence, she replied, "yes it was running and sounded normal and never stopped." The pilot's son, who was watching the takeoff, stated that after rotation and during the climb, the aircraft started a turn to the left toward rising terrain. The pilot attempted to climb over the rising terrain and trees. It appeared to the son that the aircraft stalled and crashed into the trees. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector found the airplane substantially damaged with the wings folded up and aft. Examination of the engine found both carburetors separated from the engine and hanging loose. Both carburetors had fuel in the fuel lines and float bowls. The engine was rotated and compression and engine continuity were established through to the accessory section. During examination of the spark plugs, an excess amount of fuel was found in the No. 1 cylinder. Examination of the three-bladed composite propeller found one propeller blade broken mid-span, while the remaining two propeller blades were not damaged and no scoring was noted on the blades' leading edges or surfaces. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N171MB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N171MB-2017-07-19), registration cancelled 2017-07-19, S/N E3503-K897, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Polaris Motors 582 FIB - Registry model: [Polaris Motors 582 FIB](https://openairdocs.org/model/polaris-motors-582-fib) (registry code 05903VT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 582E](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-582e) (registry code 55557, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Weight-shift - Serial number: E3503-K897 - Engines: Rotax 582E 64 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: David Elgin Rowe - Registered owner: David Elgin Rowe - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: Lexington, SC - Destination: Lexington, SC ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: serious; seat: front ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: CAE, 11 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 20090504007609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090504007609A), May 4, 2009: Polari 582FIB, Lexington, SC, Destroyed. (-23) On may 04, 2009, at about 1430 eastern standard time, a polaris F1B experimental aircraft N171MB registered to [privacy data omitted] operating as 14 CFR… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 23, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73772. 1.7 MB in all. - Reports from Federal Agencies, FAA Inspectors Statement. (item 1, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324470&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20Federal%20Agencies,%20FAA%20Inspectors%20Statement.-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324471&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - FAA Digital Photo 1, Wreckage (item 3, .PDF, 774 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324474&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo%201,%20Wreckage-Master.PDF - FAA Digital Photo 2, Wreckage 2 (item 4, .PDF, 795 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40324475&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Digital%20Photo%202,%20Wreckage%202-Master.PDF - Witness Statement 2 (item 5, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40328702&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%202-Redacted.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.