Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ellington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lewisburg, Tennessee 37091
Saturday, May 17, 2008 12:59 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that the accident flight was the airplane's first flight since completion of an annual inspection. He performed a preflight inspection and engine run-up, and reported that all gauges were "in the green." During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that the engine felt "strong." The airplane rotated normally; however, at an altitude of 150 feet above ground level (agl), the engine began to sputter and lose power. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot began a turn back to the runway. During the turn the airplane entered a stall/spin and collided with terrain at the end of the runway. A witness observed a trail of black smoke coming from the airplane's exhaust during the takeoff sequence. Postaccident examination of the engine and carburetor did not reveal the cause for the loss of power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A partial loss of engine power for an undetermined reason during the initial climb, and the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while attempting to return to the airport resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/17/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1259 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lewisburg |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 37091 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 352935N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0864816W |
| Event Location Airport | Ellington Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LUG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 717 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1256 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 25 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MQY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 543 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 33 |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.9 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27150 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 17 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 24 2010 12:57PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Nashville, Tennessee |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N26975 |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA185 |
| 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 | Gulfstream American Corp. |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA50845 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2206 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 28 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1533 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert A Herklotz |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Columbia |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38401 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Robert A Herklotz |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Columbia |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38401 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | LUG |
| Departure City | Lewisburg |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1258 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | LUG |
| Destination City | Lewisburg |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 2 2009 1:29PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 20 |
| Runway Length | 5002 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |