- Date
- June 11, 2011, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kingston, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N533BKFlightstar Flightstar II-SL
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110611010439A
- Case key
- 80732
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 clearance from trees during low-altitude maneuvering flight.
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
The non-certificated pilot stated that he was making low passes over a river while looking down at people who were on the river. After looking up, the pilot noticed that he was approaching the tree tops, added engine power, and raised the airplane's nose in order to avoid the trees. He stated that the airplane stalled and impacted the tree tops, after which it nosed over and fell about 50 feet to the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot stated that he was making low passes over a river while looking down at people who were on the river. After looking up, the pilot noticed that he was approaching the tree tops, added engine power, and raised the airplane's nose in order to avoid the trees. He stated that the airplane stalled and impacted the tree tops, after which it nosed over and fell about 50 feet to the ground. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who examined the airplane after the accident, stated that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N533BK
- Reported as
- Flightstar Flightstar II-SL
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- FS7522
- Airframe hours
- 256
- Engine
- Rotax 503 DCDI, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Charles B Kerce
- Registered owner
- Charles B Kerce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 11, 2011
- Departed
- RMG · Rome, GA
- Destination
- 8GA7 · Kingston, GA
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 54 total · 54 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- GVL
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 13, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.