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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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June 19, 1994 · Stephen AKRO · N69TA

Advance, NC

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 19, 1994
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Advance, NC
Aircraft
Stephen AKRO
Tail Number
N69TA
Operator
Mullens Shawn R
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL94LA122

AFTER TAKE OFF, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE BEGIN A STEEP LEFT TURN. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED BEHIND TREES. THE INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE PILOT HAD 163 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS WITH TEN HOURS IN THE SAME AIRPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED.

Full Narrative

On June 19, 1994, about 1045 eastern daylight time, a Stephen Akro homebuilt airplane, N69TA, collided with the ground during an uncontrolled descent at Advance, North Carolina. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal, local flight. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was originating, at the time of the accident, from the Twin Lakes Airport, Mocksville, North Carolina. Witnesses at the airport stated that the pilot commented that he intended to do a fly-over, for his wife, at Farmington, North Carolina. After lift off, the airplane was observed to level off and accelerate. It then climbed to about 200 feet, above the ground, and began a steep left turn, as if to over fly the departure runway. When the turn was initiated, the nose dropped and the airplane disappeared behind tall trees. One witness, an FAA Operations Inspector, stated that the sound of the engine was full power until impact. The FAA inspector who visited the accident site reported that the airplane impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude, in a right turn. He stated that all structural support failures resulted from ground impact, and that the flight control rigging and movement was proper. The last inspection of the airplane was a conditional inspection that was accomplished by the pilot, who was also a mechanic, on April 16, 1994. A post mortem examination of the pilot was conducted by F.W. Slate, M.D., Davie County Medical Examiner, Post Office Box 407 Mocksville, North Carolina 27028. The examination report stated that the cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. Reports of toxicological examinations of the pilot, conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and by the FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, indicated that no alcohol or other drugs were detected.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:45 EDT
Nearest AirportTwin Lakes (1nm SW)
Runway27
Runway Length2943 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftStephen AKRO
Tail NumberN69TA
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorMullens Shawn R
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360-A2B · Reciprocating · 200
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 27 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point66 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time14:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data