Bowman Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Louisville, Kentucky 40205
Saturday, August 1, 1992 9:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OWNER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT ALLOWED A PROSPECTIVE BUYER SEATED IN THE LEFT SEAT TO MAKE THE TAKEOFF. AFTER GETTING AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP TO A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE, FALL OFF ON A WING AND THEN STRIKE THE GROUND NOSE FIRST. THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER HAD NO PREVIOUS TIME IN THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH 150 HOURS TOTAL TIME. THE OWNER/OPERATOR HAS LESS THAN 100 HOURS TOTAL TIME AND WAS UNRESTRAINED IN THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS EQUIPPED WITH ONLY ONE SET OF SEAT BELTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER, AND THE FAILURE OF THE OWNER/OPERATOR TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRPLANE FOR THE PROSPECTIVE BUYER, AND THE LACK OF A RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR THE PASSENGER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/1/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 940
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LOUISVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40205
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOWMAN FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LOU
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 547
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID LOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 546
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 376
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1039
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46538
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N983DB
NTSB Number NYC92LA137
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 DONALD L. BETCHAN
Aircraft Model KR-II
Aircraft Series Identifier KR-II
Aircraft Serial Number 3844
Certified Max Gross Weight 900
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAYWARD L. POWELL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4900 18 MILE CREEK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City WESTPORT
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40077
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HAYWARD L. POWELL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4900 18 MILE CREEK ROAD
Operator City WESTPORT
Operator State KY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 40077
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code LOU
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 940
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 6
Runway Length 4312
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --