Virginia Highlands Arpt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Abingdon, Virginia 24210
Sunday, June 25, 1995 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE TURN TO BASE LEG AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET AGL. ON FINAL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH NO MECHANICAL REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TWO CYCLE ENGINE IS TO 'LOADUP' AFTER AN EXTENDED TIME AT IDLE POWER. THE LAST CONDITON INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IN 1991. THE STUDENT PILOT'S AIRMAN CLASS 3 MEDICAL CERTIFICATE/STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED AND HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE CONDITION INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE AND THE INADEQUATE TRAINING RECEIVED BY THE STUDENT PILOT OWNER/BUILDER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ABINGDON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 24210
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS ARPT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VJI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2070
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TRI
Elevation of weather observation facility 2070
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1933
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:19PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7165L
NTSB Number BFO95LA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Kolb Company
Aircraft Model TWINSTAR
Aircraft Series Identifier TWINSTAR
Aircraft Serial Number TS-242
Certified Max Gross Weight 529
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 345
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRICKER, ROY N
Aircraft Owner Street Address 48 HARMONY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City BRISTOL
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24201
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 10 2002 4:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4470
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --