Samuels Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bardstown, Kentucky 40004
Wednesday, December 3, 2003 17:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot had purchased the homebuilt airplane the day of the accident, and conducted a 1-hour "familiarization" flight with the pervious owner. After the "familiarization" flight, the previous owner departed the airport by car, and the pilot informed the airport manager that he was going to try and fly the airplane again. The pilot then contacted his wife by cell phone, and requested her to proceed to the airport to pick him up. Upon the arrival of the pilot's wife, she observed the airplane on fire in the grass area left of runway 02. There were no known witnesses to the accident. Examination of the airframe did not reveal any abnormalities. Examination of the engine revealed extensive post-crash fire damage, and further examination of it could not be performed due to it being seized.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of aircraft control, resulting in a subsequent impact with terrain. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's unfamiliarity with the airplane.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/3/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Bardstown
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 40004
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 374851N
Event Location Longitude 0852958W
Event Location Airport Samuels Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BRY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 669
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1656 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID SDF
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 13000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17474
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region Comm Cente
NTSB Notification Date Dec 3 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 30 2005 6:20AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Louisville, KY

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N97JW
NTSB Number NYC04LA043
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Barness
Aircraft Model Pulsar I
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 198
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 190
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Carl R. McDaniel
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Shepardsville
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40165
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code BRY
Departure City Bardstown
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1715
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 02
Runway Length 5003
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --