- Date
- September 20, 2009, 10:40 local (14:40 UTC)
- Place
- Mystic, CT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N208NSDaniel L Patrick Kolb Mark
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 22, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090920049659A
- Case key
- 74779
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 pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during final approach, resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of total flight experience.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the sport pilot, he was test flying the experimental airplane in the traffic pattern. While on final approach, with a flap setting of 20 degrees, he increased the flaps to 40 degrees. At that time, the airplane began to stall and he tried to increase engine power. He stated that when the airplane stalled, his airspeed was too slow and he was too low. The left main landing gear contacted the top of some trees and then impacted the ground. The pilot stated that he had about 4 hours in the accident airplane and that he was still test flying it. His total time in make and model was approximately 9 hours and his total pilot time was about 60 hours.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 2009, at 1040 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kolb Mark III Extra, N208NS, collided with the tops of trees while on final approach to Wychwood Field Airport (CT48), Mystic, Connecticut. The certificated sport pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, received minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. According to the pilot, he was test flying the airplane in the traffic pattern. While on final approach, with a flap setting of 20 degrees, he increased the flaps to 40 degrees. At that time the airplane began to stall and he tried to increase engine power. He stated that when the airplane stalled, his airspeed was too slow and he was too low. The left wheel hit the top of some trees and then went down. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane was observed about 100 feet into the woods in a nose low attitude. The left wing spar was snapped, the tail boom was broken into two pieces, and there was impact damage to the right wing. Damage to the engine consisted of the carburetors, exhaust and engine mounts. The airplane was certificated and issued a special airworthiness certificate on August 6, 2009. The pilot stated that he had about 4 hours in this airplane and that he was still test flying it. His total time in this make and model was approximately 9 hours and his total pilot time was about 60 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N208NS
- Reported as
- Daniel L Patrick Kolb Mark (111 Extra)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- M3X-8-3-00096
- Airframe hours
- 4
- Engine
- HKS 700, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Daniel L Patrick
- Registered owner
- Daniel L Patrick
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · August 6, 2009 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- CT48 · Mystic, CT
- Destination
- CT48 · Mystic, CT
- Airport
- CT48 · Wychwood Field
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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 60 total · 9 in this make and model · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.36 inHg
- Observed at
- WST, 7 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 17, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.