# NTSB ERA22LA136: Flightstar Flightstar II, N194PG, Holly Hill, SC, February 24, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: February 24, 2022, 11:45 local (16:45 UTC) - Place: Holly Hill, SC - Coordinates: 33.300268, -80.393336 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3003&lon=-80.3933&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104699 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA22LA136 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104699/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104699 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA136 ## Probable cause A loss of control during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in a collision with a hangar and trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Flightstar FLIGHTSTAR II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=05901Q2), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Flightstar FLIGHTSTAR II, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05901Q2), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Flightstar FLIGHTSTAR II, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05901Q2), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to a witness, during the takeoff, the airplane veered to the left and impacted a hangar and trees before coming to rest. Photos of the airplane showed that the airplane’s wings, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged. Multiple attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful, and the airplane could not examined following the accident. The witness’s description of the airplane’s flightpath is consistent with a loss of control during the takeoff; however, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available information. ## Factual narrative On February 24, 2022, about 1145 eastern standard time, a Flightstar II, N194PG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Holly Hill, South Carolina. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness was in his hangar at the airport when he first heard the airplane. He saw the airplane’s shadow on the centerline of the runway before it veered left, the “engine got really loud,” and the airplane impacted the hangar. The airplane continued over the hangar and struck trees before impacting the ground. The witness ran to the airplane and noted that the engine was still running. He turned it off, and then began assisting the pilot. Photographs taken at the accident site showed that the wings, fuselage, and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot was contacted multiple times; however, he did not respond. The owner of the hangar where the airplane was being stored was contacted multiple times and he did not respond. Therefore, the wreckage could not be examined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N194PG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N194PG), registered now, S/N 1993P, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FLIGHTSTAR INC FLIGHTSTAR II (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Flightstar FLIGHTSTAR II](https://openairdocs.org/model/flightstar-flightstar-ii) (registry code 05901Q2) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 503DCSI](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-503dcsi) (registry code 55567, 2 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1993P - Year built: 1993 - Engines: ROTAX 503DCSI 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Airport: 5J5, Holly Hill, runway 04/22, 3,900 × 75 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: unknown, unknown ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: DYB, 15 nm away - METAR: KDYB 241635Z AUTO VRB05G12KT 10SM CLR 27/18 A3022 RMK AO2 ## Other investigations on N194PG (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA11LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA307), May 22, 2011: Flightstar Flightstar II (N194PG), Grantville, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power while maneuvering due to a seized piston. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104699. 2.4 MB in all. - Witness interview summary (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14851404&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20-%20Witness%20LA136-Rel.pdf - Map of approximate flight path (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 523 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14852109&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=flight%20path%20map-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - pilot contact attempts (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14851545&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20No%20response-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - hangar co-owner - no response (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14851948&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20-%20Hangar%20owner%20%20no%20response-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 4 pages, 4 photos, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14851587&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA136-Rel.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.