# NTSB NYC06LA055: Renquist Starduster SA300, N1923S, Churchville, MD, January 20, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 20, 2006, 17:07 local (22:07 UTC) - Place: Churchville, MD - Coordinates: 39.566665, -76.202224 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5667&lon=-76.2022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63136 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC06LA055 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63136/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC06LA055 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis Witnesses observed the airplane "climbing like a rocket" during takeoff. As the airplane reached an altitude of approximately 70 feet, it banked to the left, then to the right, and then descended to the ground. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical deficiencies with the airframe or engine. ## Factual narrative On January 20, 2006, at 1707 eastern standard time, an amateur-built Starduster SA300, N1923S, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground, after takeoff from the Harford County Airport (0W3), Churchville, Maryland. The certificated commercial pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight destined for the Martin State Airport (MTN), Baltimore, Maryland. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed, and the flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who examined the airplane after the accident, witnesses observed the airplane "climbing like a rocket" during takeoff from runway 28. As the airplane reached an altitude of approximately 70 feet, it banked to the left, then to the right, and then descended to the ground. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed no mechanical deficiencies with the airframe or engine. The pilot failed to respond to numerous requests for his statement regarding the accident. The winds reported at an airport 18 miles to the southwest, at 1645, were from 110 degrees at 6 knots. Witnesses at the Harford Airport reported that at the time of the accident, there was a 5-8 knot, "90-degree crosswind" for runway 28. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1923S](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1923S), registered now, S/N 1786, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Renquist Starduster SA300 - Registry model: [Renquist John H STARDUSTER TOO SA300](https://openairdocs.org/model/renquist-john-h-starduster-too-sa300) (registry code 86603BR) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1786 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Steven Kim - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 0W3, Churchville, MD - Destination: MTN, Martin State, MD - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: 0W3, Harford County Airport, runway 28, 2,000 × 40 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; flight hours: 2,600 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 110° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.19 inHg - Observed at: MTN, 18 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 20060120011749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060120011749A), Jan 20, 2006: Amtr SA300, Churchville, MD, Substantial damage. (-23) Eyewitness stated the pilot started too steep a climb on takeoff and the aircraft stalled and the left wing dropped. Pilot picked up the left wing and… ## Other investigations on N1923S (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 SEA97LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA122), May 27, 1997: Noe SA-300 (N1923S), Bountiful, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane. Related factors include: an area of standing water on a portion of the runway, and soft terrain just off the edge of the runway. 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.