Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Flagler County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bunnell, Florida 32110
Saturday, June 14, 2003 9:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that prior to the flight, the horizontal stabilizers which had been folded up were extended. He attached the lower elevator flight control cables and performed a preflight inspection of the airplane; he does not have a preflight checklist. Following the preflight, he started the engine and taxied to runway 24, and after landing traffic cleared the runway, he taxied onto the runway and applied power to takeoff. The airplane became airborne and when the flight was approximately 15 to 20 feet above ground level, he heard a "boom" sound, and experienced an immediate loss of elevator control. The airplane began a right turn and pitched nosed down. He reduced throttle to idle, and the airplane impacted the ground between runways 24 and 27. He later stated the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer rotated up 90 degrees. Each horizontal stabilizer (stabilizer) is structurally attached to the boom tube at the front and rear of each stabilizer. Additionally, a flying wire attaches to the top and bottom of each stabilizer. The front of each stabilizer is secured to the boom tube by a clevis and a safety pin which secures through a u-shaped bracket on the boom tube and a mating fitting on the stabilizer. The rear of each stabilizer is secured to the boom tube by a 1/4 inch diameter bolt and self locking nut which goes through a hinge. According to the pilot, postaccident the forward clevis pin and safety pin of the right stabilizer was not located. The upper and lower flying wires of the right stabilizer were not failed, and the 1/4 inch diameter bolt of the aft attach point was in-place.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane by the pilot-in-command (pilot) for his failure to assure that the forward attachment of the right horizontal stabilizer was secured and safetied before flight resulting in rotation of the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilizer and in-flight loss of control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/14/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bunnell |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32110 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 292802N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0811223W |
| Event Location Airport | Flagler County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | X47 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 86 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 75 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.96 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14336 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA FSDO, Orlando, FL |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2003 11:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | None |
| NTSB Number | MIA03CA128 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Kolb Company |
| Aircraft Model | MKIII |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 035 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 650 |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 17 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 400 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Unregistered |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | -- |
| Aircraft Owner State | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | John E. Richmond |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Palm Coast |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | X47 |
| Departure City | Bunnell |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | X47 |
| Destination City | Bunnell |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 13 2003 9:22AM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 24 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |