- Date
- October 23, 1994, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mountain View, OK
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N64BGGeorge Spacewalker 1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19941023035349A
- Case key
- 19289
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 minimum required airspeed for flight.
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
A witness reported to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, that shortly after takeoff the airplane turned back towards the runway, the right wing dropped and the airplane impacted the ground. The witness further reported the airplane was flying slow and 'would not pick up speed.' According to the FAA inspector, the right wing was separated from the airplane, and the wooden propeller was 'shattered.' The engine would not turn freely due to rear case/magneto damage; however, the crankshaft, rods, and piston assemblies had continuity. According to the pilot operator report, the pilot had the propeller 'repitched', and during the accident flight 'it did not seem to have the thrust it should have.'
Factual narrative
On October 23, 1994, at 1530 central daylight time, an experimental Spacewalker 1, N64BG, was substantially damaged while maneuvering after takeoff at a private airstrip near Mountain View, Oklahoma. The student certificated pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight.
A witness reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, that shortly after takeoff, the airplane turned back towards the runway, the right wing dropped and the airplane impacted the ground. The witness further reported the airplane was flying slow and "would not pick up speed."
The FAA inspector reported the following information. The airplane came to rest 21 feet from the initial ground scar. The right wing was separated from the airplane, and the wooden propeller was "shattered." The engine would not turn freely due to rear case/magneto damage; however, the crankshaft, rods, and piston assemblies had continuity.
According to the pilot operator report, the pilot had the propeller "repitched", and during the accident flight "it did not seem to have the thrust it should have."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64BG
- Reported as
- George Spacewalker 1 (SPACEWALKE)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 7
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George, Barton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 5, 1994 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- NONE · OK
- Airport
- NONE · Georges, runway 17, 2,000 × 70 ft, grass/turf
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15 total · 6 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 8 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.