Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Albany, Georgia 31707
Sunday, August 24, 1997 16:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the owner and builder of the airplane, the plane took off from a grass strip that was about 700 feet long. The pilot circled the grass strip 4 times and made a low pass over the strip. He then turned the airplane back towards the field, and the airplane was observed to stall. It crashed nose first into the terrain. According to the owner, the engine was still running when they arrived at the scene. About three months before the accident, the pilot had applied for a 2nd class medical certificate, which was denied because he was confused, forgetful, and evasive. Investigation revealed that at the time of the accident, the pilot had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and kidney failure for which he was receiving hemodialysis three days a week. In February 1993, the pilot was admitted to a hospital with a left parietal intracerebral hemarrhage (stroke) and seizures, and in January 1996, he was on three anti-seizure medications. The pilot did not report these conditions to the FAA.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's physical impairment, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which led to a stall and ground impact.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/24/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | ALBANY |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31707 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1647 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ABY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 197 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1800 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 30 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 2000 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1120 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 2 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1620 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | NONE |
| NTSB Number | ATL97LA129 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Kolb Company |
| Aircraft Model | FIRESTAR-II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | FIRESTAR-I |
| Aircraft Serial Number | |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 725 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | Not Registered |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 12 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | JAMES MOON |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 272 MERCER MILL RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | OAK FIELD |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 31772 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | RONALD BARTHELEMY |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 2226 OLD DOMINION ROAD |
| Operator City | ALBANY |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | 31707 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | NONE |
| Departure City | PVT GRASS STRIP |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | 700 |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |