- Date
- July 18, 1984, 20:00 local (Jul 19, 1984, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- West Plains, MO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N39963Morgan T. Melton SKY Rider
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840718033189A
- Case key
- 33539
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Analysis
The owner/bulder stated that he & his brother had been having an eng problem which they assumed was due to a vapor lock. They had installed a metal box around the electric fuel pump to insulate it from the heat of the exhaust pipe. The brother initiated a hi speed taxi test & was not suppose to have taken off. However, the acft became airporne, climbed about 500 ft, then turned onto a downwind leg of the traffic pattern. At about that time, the eng began loosing power. The acft continued on downwind & turned on a base leg. At about 200 ft AGL, during a steep turn to final, the acft stalled & crashed. The carburetor was destroyed by impact. Abnormal wear marks were noted on the lower edge of the primary venture. The magneto switch was found in the 'off' position & the keys were found about 14 ft away. This was the acft's 1st test flt.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39963
- Reported as
- Morgan T. Melton SKY Rider
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- M M-1
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Morgan T. Melton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- H63 · West Plains, runway 14, 3,200 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 557 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.