- Date
- June 2, 1991, 15:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Prairie, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N124JSteen Skybolt JW5
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910602018449A
- Case key
- 23265
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 perform refueling and maintain airspeed above vs (stall). A factor was unsuitable terrain.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot of the experimental bi-plane departed the airport for a short personal flight and did not refuel his aircraft. A total loss of power occurred as the aircraft flew over a residential area and high tension power lines. The aircraft was observed slowly descending toward a field. Witnesses reported the aircraft's wings wobbled, the nose dropped, and the airplane descended out of control. A few ounces of fuel remained in the main fuel tank at the accident site. The fuel pumps were tested and were functional.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N124J
- Reported as
- Steen Skybolt JW5
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 5
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-CIC, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dudley P. Bittel
- Registered owner
- Dudley P. Bittel
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
- 44
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,994 total · 168 in this make and model · 1,701 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 47 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.