Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dubre, Kentucky 42731
Saturday, April 18, 2009 16:33 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A witness stated that he heard an airplane approaching his house; the airplane was about 200 feet above the trees. It made a left turn next to a creek and reversed its course. The airplane reversed its course again, and was observed above the creek coming back towards his home. The witness observed the fuselage of the airplane swaying from left to right and as well as the airplane making a steep left turn. He observed that the left wing of the airplane was perpendicular to the ground and the ground speed of the airplane appeared to be slow. The airplane continued in the steep left turn, reversed its course again, and leveled out. The wings on the airplane were observed to wobble, and the nose of the airplane pitched down. The airplane collided with the ground in a nose-down attitude and came to rest upright. The witness reported no change in engine noise during the accident sequence. No evidence of any preimpact anomalies was noted with the airframe, flight controls, or engine assembly and accessories.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1633
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Dubre
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42731
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 365027N
Event Location Longitude 0853350W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID BWG
Elevation of weather observation facility 547
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 25658
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 26 2009 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N191KF
NTSB Number ERA09LA250
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 Gladstone
Aircraft Model Kitfox
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1BS065
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 Oct 11 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 422
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name David M. Long
Aircraft Owner Street Address 124 Guthrie Chapel Road
Aircraft Owner City Burkesville
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42717
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name David M. Long
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 124 Guthrie Chapel Road
Operator City Burkesville
Operator State KY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 42717
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 No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Burkesville
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Burkesville
Destination State KY
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 26 2009 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight --
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --