West Wind Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sweetwater, Tennessee 37826
Saturday, September 22, 2007 14:11 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness recalled that the non-certificated pilot seemed "rusty" or unfamiliar with the assembly of the amateur-built airplane. The witness watched as the airplane "wobbled" into the air during climbout, and approximately 1 mile from the departure airport, the nose pitched down and continued straight down until it disappeared behind trees. No pilot or aircraft logbooks were recovered. Examination of the wreckage revealed no obvious mechanical deficiencies, and that the airplane was equipped with a ballistic recovery parachute. The parachute was deployed, but did not inflate.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during climb.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/2007
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1411
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Sweetwater
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37826
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 353223N
Event Location Longitude 0843135W
Event Location Airport West Wind Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TN64
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1000
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 189
Weather Observation Facility ID KMMI
Elevation of weather observation facility 858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 30.1
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) 24018
NTSB Notification Source FAA SROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2008 9:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Nashville FSDO-03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43046
NTSB Number ATL07LA129
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 Kolb Company
Aircraft Model MK II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number M2-121
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
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 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 --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jerry D Roth
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Maryville
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37803
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 TN64
Departure City Sweetwater
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1411
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TN64
Destination City Sweetwater
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - VFR pattern - downwind
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 28 2008 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record grer
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 870
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --