Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mobile, Alabama 36610
Saturday, March 15, 1986 14:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE COCKPIT CANOPY WHICH INADVERTENTLY UNLATCHED. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SPIN AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT WHICH WAS ASSEMBLED BY THE PILOT. THE CANOPY LATCH WAS A MODIFICATION TO THE ORIGINAL PLANS WHICH WAS DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED BY THE PILOT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MOBILE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36610
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 3
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 1449 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID MOB
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 593
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30870
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N455JS
NTSB Number ATL86LA094
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 SHAFFER
Aircraft Model KR-2
Aircraft Series Identifier KR-2
Aircraft Serial Number 8009
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 Mar 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 175
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN T. SHAFFER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4501 SE 38TH
Aircraft Owner City DEL CITY
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73115
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 3R5
Departure City NEW BRAUNSFELS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MOB
Destination City MOBILE
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --