Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clark, Pennsylvania 16113
Sunday, July 4, 1999 20:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The homebuilt airplane was observed making multiple low altitude passes over a lake. The airplane was observed to pull up into a vertical climb. When the airplane reached an estimated height of about 300 feet above the water, it continued over onto its back, and then into a nose down attitude similar to a loop. However, the airplane did not recover to level flight, but continued in a nose down attitude and struck the surface of the water. Witnesses reported the sound of the engine remained constant throughout the maneuver. Examination of the airplane revealed flight control continuity was present. The investigation revealed the airplane had been taken without permission of the owner. The pilot did not possess a pilot certificate or FAA airman medical certificate. However, he had flown and worked on ultra-lites.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper decision to perform an aerobatic maneuver with inadequate altitude for recovery/clearance.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/4/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CLARK
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16113
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1951 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 88
Weather Observation Facility ID YNG
Elevation of weather observation facility 1196
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 955
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 4 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N901JL
NTSB Number NYC99LA165
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 Lakeland Ultralites Inc.
Aircraft Model KOLB MARK III
Aircraft Series Identifier KOLB MARK
Aircraft Serial Number 1017
Certified Max Gross Weight 850
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 Sep 25 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 47
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RJR AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 48 WEST LIBERTY STREET
Aircraft Owner City HUBBARD
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44425
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 No
Departure Airport Code 4D2
Departure City BROOKFIELD
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1845
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 Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --