Shannon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fredricksburg, Virginia 22408
Sunday, October 15, 2006 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses observed the accident airplane as it operated in the airport traffic pattern. While performing "touch-and-go" landings, the pilot landed the airplane near the approach end of the runway, and then took off again. The airplane then accelerated while flying at a low altitude over the runway. Near the end of the runway the airplane pitched up, climbed, leveled at 500 feet, and repeated the maneuver. During a subsequent pass, the airplane approached the runway low and fast. At the departure end of the runway the airplane pitched up into a near-vertical climb, before it "stopped in the air for a moment," and yawed left until the nose was pointing straight toward the ground. The airplane descended vertically and subsequently impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence consistent with a preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. The airplane's experimental operating limitations stated, "This aircraft is prohibited from acrobatic flight; that is, an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in the aircraft's attitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration not necessary for normal flight."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's intentional low altitude maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent collision with terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Fredricksburg
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22408
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381600N
Event Location Longitude 0772657W
Event Location Airport Shannon Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EZF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 85
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1800 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID EZF
Elevation of weather observation facility 85
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
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) 22197
NTSB Notification Source Eastern Region
NTSB Notification Date Oct 15 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 27 2007 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N640F
NTSB Number NYC07LA008
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 Flynn William
Aircraft Model Pazmany PL-4
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 433
Certified Max Gross Weight 850
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William M. Strother
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fredricksburg
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 EZF
Departure City Fredricksburg
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code EZF
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 9 2007 5:55PM
User who most recently changed record MUZD
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 2910
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --