Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rocky Comfort, Missouri 64861
Tuesady, April 9, 2002 18:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted the terrain in an uncontrolled descent. A witness to the accident reported the airplane had been flying over his residence prior to the accident. The witness estimated the altitude of the airplane to be approximately 200 feet agl. The witness reported the pilot and the passenger waved at him, and then the airplane departed in a southwesterly direction. The witness stated that while returning to his residence he heard a sound like a shotgun. The witness reported he turned toward the direction the airplane had just departed and saw the wreckage of the airplane about 100 yards from his location. All primary structural elements and flight control surfaces were located along a wreckage path that was approximately 46 feet in length. No anomalies were found with the airplane, engine, or flight control system that could be determined to have existed prior to impact.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot not maintaining aircraft control while maneuvering, and his failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall. Low altitude flight was a contributing factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1855
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Rocky Comfort
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64861
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 4
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 322
Weather Observation Facility ID JLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.28
Density Altitude (feet) 1300
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 13150
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1948
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2003 4:34PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA, Kansas City FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N96EB
NTSB Number CHI02LA105
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bozeman
Aircraft Model Pietenpol Aircamper
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1080
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 191
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert Lee Bozeman
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 1 Box 1538
Aircraft Owner City Washburn
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65772
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 94K
Departure City Cassville
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
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? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 14 2003 9:04AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --