Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Raymond, Mississippi 39154
Sunday, October 5, 1986 12:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT HAD JUST COMPLETED BUILDING THE ACFT AND WAS ON THE INITIAL FLT. FAMILY MEMBERS WATCHED AS THE ACFT TOOKOFF AND CLIMBED OVER THE ARPT. THEY THEN OBSERVED PIECES FALLING FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT ROLLED INVERTED AND CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE ELEVATOR BELL CRANK REVEALED THE PLT HAD MADE AN UNAPPROVED MODIFICATION TO THE CRANK DUE TO A CONTRUCTION ERROR BY THE PLT WHICH CONSISTED OF CUTTING THE BOTTOM OFF THE CRANK AND ATTACHING 2 STRIPS OF ALUMINUM TO THE CRANK WITH POP RIVETS. THE ELEVATORS AND STABILIZERS SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT IN FLT. THE UPPER AND LOWER HALVES OF THE LEFT ELEVATOR HAD SEPARATED AND AN EXAM REVEALED THE BONDING MATERIAL WAS STILL SOFT AND SITCKY TO THE TOUCH. THE DESIGNER OF THE ACFT STATED THAT FLUTTER WAS CREATED IN THE ELEVATORS BY THE MODIFICATION RESULTING IN FAILURE OF THE TAIL COMPONENTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/5/1986
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City RAYMOND
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39154
Event Date Year 1986
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID JAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1617
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33420
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 N124PK
NTSB Number MIA87FA003
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 GRIFFIN
Aircraft Model STAR-LITE
Aircraft Series Identifier STAR-LITE
Aircraft Serial Number 124
Certified Max Gross Weight 480
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 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 --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES GRIFFIN KIRK, 3RD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 116 SPRING VALLEY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City RAYMOND
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39154
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
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 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 --