Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bessemer, Alabama 35023
Sunday, October 15, 1989 16:02 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING IN AN AIRSHOW. HE STATED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT A SNAP ROLL WAS ATTEMPTED. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT APPLY SUFFICIENT ELEVATOR PITCH UP AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED, THEN SCOOPED OUT. AT THAT POINT HE WAS TOO LOW TO RECOVER AND DESCENDED TO IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO DENSE WOODS ABOUT 1/4 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY EDGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND DURING AN AEROBATIC MANEUVER. WHILE ATTEMPTING A SNAP ROLL, THE PILOT FAILED TO INTRODUCE SUFFICIENT ELEVATOR INPUT TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1602
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BESSEMER
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35023
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3600
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) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2000
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2076
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1602
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41477
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N211RB
NTSB Number ATL90DKJ01
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 STEEN
Aircraft Model SKYBOLT
Aircraft Series Identifier SKYBOLT
Aircraft Serial Number 06019
Certified Max Gross Weight 1815
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 19 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 270
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES P. OWENS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3965 NATCHEZ DR.
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35243
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 2A3
Departure City BESSEMER
Departure State AL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --