Mountain Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cleveland, Georgia 30528
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 8:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the takeoff, the experimental light-sport airplane flew level, about 50 feet above the runway, until about 900 feet of runway remained. The airplane then pitched up "sharply," and climbed to about 150 feet before it entered a stall and pitched nose down. The airplane impacted the ground at a near 60-degree angle and "exploded." Examination of the wreckage revealed no obvious mechanical deficiencies with the airframe or engine. The pilot held the necessary pilot certificate required to operate the airplane, and had accumulated 225 total hours of flight experience, with 142 hours in the accident airplane make and model. Doxazosin, a prescription medication that lowers blood pressure and can reduce G-tolerance, was found on post-mortem toxicology testing. No definitive determination could be made as to any role of the medication in the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

An inadvertent stall during the initial climb.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 845
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Cleveland
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30528
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 343325N
Event Location Longitude 0834249W
Event Location Airport Mountain Airpark
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0GE5
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 1438
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID GVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1438
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.17
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) 25289
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2009 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta, GA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1974L
NTSB Number NYC08LA235
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 Lanier James A
Aircraft Model Talon XP
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 143
Certified Max Gross Weight 955
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jun 10 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 104
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James A Lanier
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sugar Hill
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20518
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name James A Lanier
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Sugar Hill
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 20518
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 0GE5
Departure City Cleveland
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 845
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 29 2009 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --