# NTSB ERA25LA236: Sting Sport TL-2000, N878N, Dunavant, VA, June 20, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 20, 2025, 14:09 local (18:09 UTC) - Place: Dunavant, VA - Coordinates: 38, -77 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0000&lon=-77.0000&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 14, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200381 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA236 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200381/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200381 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA236 ## Probable cause The inflight failure of the propeller due to its exceedance of the manufacturer’s overhaul requirement. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Propeller system: propeller blade section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111/cases.md?model=060001R), [All aircraft, 51 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046111/cases.md) - [Propeller system: propeller hub section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Not serviced/maintained; cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114/cases.md?model=060001R), [All aircraft, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046114/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338) (defining event); cases with it: [TL Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=060001R), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was returning to his home airport at an altitude of about 2,000 ft msl. He reported that there was a sudden and violent vibration throughout the airplane that lasted several seconds. The airplane’s canopy unlatched and opened due to the vibration and the engine lost power immediately afterward. The pilot established the airplane’s best glide speed and instructed the passenger to set the transponder to 7700 and to hold the canopy closed. The pilot conducted an emergency landing to a field. During the landing on uneven terrain, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the nose landing gear, and the right wing contacted the ground before the airplane came to rest. During a postaccident interview, the pilot reported that he realized the propeller had failed in flight. The airplane’s fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that two of the three wood/composite propeller blades were separated from the propeller hub. The blades were not recovered and thus could not be examined. According to the propeller manufacturer, the propeller was required to be overhauled every 300 flight hours, or 5 (calendar) years, whichever came first. Review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed that the new propeller had been installed onto the airplane nearly 7 years and nearly 510 hours before the accident. There were no entries documenting that the propeller had undergone the prescribed overhaul during that time. Given this information, it is likely that the propeller blades separated in flight, and that the failure of the propeller blades was due to an exceedance of the manufacturer’s overhaul requirement. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N878N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N878N), registered now, S/N TLUSA130, built 2006 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Sting Sport TL-2000 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [TL Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT](https://openairdocs.org/model/tl-ultralight-sro-stingsport) (registry code 060001R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: TLUSA130 - Year built: 2006 - Airframe hours: 1047 - Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, November 15, 2024, 83 hours before - Departed: EZF, Fredericksburg, VA - Destination: HWY, Midland, VA - Airport: EZF, Shannon - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Airframe parachute, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; last flight review October 21, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 206 total, 197 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 75 °F - Observed at: EZF, 5 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 20250620007639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250620007639A), Jun 20, 2025: Tl Ultralight Sro STINGSPORT, Fredericksburg, VA, Substantial damage. PIC reported the aircraft's engine suddenly began to shake violently while in cruise flight for 5 seconds before the engine shut down un-commanded. The PIC… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200381. 8.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19152903&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20LA236_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record - FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19153346&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20MOR%20LA236-Rel.pdf - Maintenance records excerpts (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 956 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19155868&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Logbook%20excerpts%20LA236_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Propeller service bulletin ul 02/2012 (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19153522&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UL%20SB%2002_2012%20Rev.%204_EN_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Woodcomp SR200 propeller manual (item 5, PDF, 8 pages, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19153228&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=UM-SR200-EN-Rel.pdf - Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 6 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19153147&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=investigative%20Photos%20LA236-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.