Cartersville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cartersville, Georgia 30120
Thursday, March 19, 2009 11:08 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was departing in an experimental, amateur-built airplane, equipped with a non-certificated 65-horsepower engine. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane lost partial engine power, banked 90 degrees left, nosed down and collided with the ground while attempting to return to the runway. Examination of the engine ignition system found that it was equipped with two coil packs. Chafing was observed on two wires from the aft coil pack. If the chafed wire running to the ignition made contact with the adjacent ground wire, or the engine block, the aft cylinder would have stopped producing power, and the remaining cylinder would have had difficulty continuing normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed following a partial loss of engine power during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was chafed wires in the ignition system.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2009
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1108
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Cartersville
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30120
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340723N
Event Location Longitude 0845055W
Event Location Airport Cartersville Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VPC
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 759
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 19
Weather Observation Facility ID VPC
Elevation of weather observation facility 759
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not 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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26816
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 15 2010 2:12PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N312RW
NTSB Number ERA09LA203
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 Wayne O Robinson
Aircraft Model S6S Rans
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11041619S
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
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 Aug 7 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 103
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Wayne O Robinson
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Dallas
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30132
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Jeffery Robert Johnson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Cartersville
Operator State GA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 30120
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 VPC
Departure City Cartersville
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1108
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code VPC
Destination City Cartersville
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 19 2010 3:43PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 5760
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --