Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lookout Mountain Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Trenton, Georgia 30757
Saturday, May 26, 2012 16:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot departed in the experimental light-sport airplane without incident, climbed to an altitude of about 350 to 400 feet above ground level, and flew to a nearby ridgeline. Witnesses reported that the airplane looked slow as it flew parallel to the ridgeline and subsequently entered a left spiraling dive, making two descending 360-degree turns before it impacted trees. The nature of the airplane's departure from controlled flight was consistent with a stall. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with a ballistic parachute system that was found in the armed for flight position; however, it had not been activated. The pilot was familiar with the accident airplane and had flown it regularly during the previous 2 years. The pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration medical examination was performed about 9 years before the accident. At the time of the accident, the pilot was taking a medication for the treatment of hypertension. The medical examiner noted no significant gross natural disease or focal myocardial lesions during autopsy; however, it could not be determined whether the pilot became incapacitated before the airplane's descent.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The airplane's entry into an uncontrolled descent for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and it could not be determined whether the pilot had experienced an incapacitating medical event.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/26/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Trenton |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30757 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 345417N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0852735W |
| Event Location Airport | Lookout Mountain |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 0GE3 |
| 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 | 563 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 60 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CHA |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 682 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| 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) | 31217 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB CC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 5 2013 3:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N56FP |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA364 |
| 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 | MOYES B/BAILEY B |
| Aircraft Model | DRAGONFLY |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 002Y |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 992 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | Apr 5 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 75 |
| Airframe Hours | 3515 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TABER MATTHEW A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | RISING FAWN |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30738 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | TABER MATTHEW A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | RISING FAWN |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30738 |
| 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 | 0GE3 |
| Departure City | Trenton |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1625 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | 0GE3 |
| Destination City | Trenton |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 5 2013 3:43PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |