Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Southern Pines, North Carolina 28387
Sunday, October 17, 2010 14:35 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The accident pilot was flying in formation with another pilot, en route to a private airstrip. About 10 minutes after departure, the accident pilot reported on the common traffic advisory frequency that his wings were fluttering and that he was losing control of the airplane. The other pilot told him to reduce the power and try to land on the road below. He then observed the accident airplane in a slow, banking turn, appearing to line up for a landing on the road. The accident pilot announced that he was unable to maintain control of the airplane, and witnesses observed the ailerons fluttering before the airplane appeared to stall and descend vertically to the ground. The airplane, constructed of wood and fabric, shattered into multiple wood fragments upon impact; however, examination of the fracture surfaces and structure of the wings revealed damage consistent with both wings and ailerons being attached to the airframe at the time of impact. Additionally, flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the aileron flight controls. The most recent recorded maintenance performed on the airplane was its Phase 1 condition inspection completed about 3 weeks prior to the accident. During this inspection, the flight controls were inspected and lubricated. Due to the severe impact damage, the source of the wing flutter and control problem reported by the pilot was not identified.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The reported fluttering of the wings in flight and the pilot's subsequent in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/17/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1435 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Southern Pines |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28387 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 351034N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0792524W |
| 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 | 1435 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 30 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SOP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 455 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| 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) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28625 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern CROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 6 2011 2:19PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N838B |
| NTSB Number | ERA11LA023 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOBO CHRISTOPHER J |
| Aircraft Model | LOEHLE 5151 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 5151-1573285 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 1 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 60 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | COX KEITH A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 414 |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOPE MILLS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28348-0414 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | COX KEITH A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 414 |
| Operator City | HOPE MILLS |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28348-0414 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Carthage |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1425 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Maxton |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 6 2011 2:19PM |
| 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 | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |