Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fayetteville, Tennessee 37334
Tuesady, August 2, 2011 11:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was making his inaugural flight in the recently purchased, recently reassembled unregistered experimental airplane. After the pilot's initial takeoff from his home airstrip, witnesses saw the airplane turn back toward the runway then lost sight of it behind a tree line. They continued to hear the airplane's engine operate until hearing the airplane impact the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies, and structural damage indicated that it had impacted the ground in a stall/spin to the right. The pilot had not flown in about 6 years, and when a family member suggested that he get some refresher flight training before his first flight in the airplane, the pilot declined to do so.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Fayetteville
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37334
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350617N
Event Location Longitude 0863235W
Event Location Airport Private
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 720
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1115 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 183
Weather Observation Facility ID MDQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 756
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
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) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
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) 29.99
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) 30897
NTSB Notification Source SROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2013 9:31AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number ERA11FA435
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 RANS
Aircraft Model S18
Aircraft Series Identifier NO SERIES
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight 970
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 200
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Larry Eugene Sheaks
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Fayetteville
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37334
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Larry Eugene Sheaks
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Fayetteville
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37334
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 NONE
Departure City Fayetteville
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1110
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Fayetteville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2013 10:46AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 01
Runway Length 1400
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --