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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 5, 2001 · Interplane Sky Boy · UNREG

Sayre, PA

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 5, 2001
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 serious injury)
Location
Sayre, PA
Aircraft
Interplane Sky Boy
Tail Number
UNREG
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
NYC01LA138

During the initial climbout after takeoff, the ultralight was observed rolling from side to side. It then rolled inverted and impacted the runway. The pilot reported that he "failed to maintain optimal climbing speed."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate climb airspeed.

Full Narrative

On June 5, 2001, about 1900 eastern daylight time, an Interplane Skyboy, an unregistered ultralight, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Blue Swan Airport, Sayre, Pennsylvania. The non-certificated pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight. No flight plan had been filed for the local flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 103. According to the pilot: "Upon take off I failed to maintain optimal climbing speed. Aircraft rolled to the right [and] the left and made contact [with the] ground." According to a witness, the pilot initiated a takeoff from runway 28, with winds coming from straight ahead at 4 knots. The ultralight became airborne in a nose-high attitude after a ground run of a few hundred feet. Once airborne, the wings rocked from side to side, and the ultralight climbed to about 25 feet above the runway surface. The ultralight then rolled 180 degrees to the right, and descended onto the runway in an inverted, nose down attitude. The witness then ran to the wreckage and extracted the pilot. The witness also reported that the accident pilot flew the ultralight earlier the same day for 0.5 hours. After that flight, the witness flew it and noted no problems. The accident pilot then departed on the accident flight. The pilot purchased the ultralight in Florida, and received his initial flight training there. He soloed the ultralight on April 28, 2001. It was then disassembled, and transported to Pennsylvania. It was not flown again until the date of the accident. The pilot had 15.4 hours of flight experience, including 1 hour of solo flight, all in make and model. The pilot's logbook contained an endorsement for solo flight from his flight instructor. The pilot did not possess a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman's medical certificate or a student pilot certificate, nor were they required. The ultralight was manufactured in the Czech Republic, and sold as an "ultralight trainer." It was equipped with a pitot-static type airspeed indicator. It was not equipped with an attitude indicator, and climb attitude was maintained by outside visual reference.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:00 EDT
Nearest AirportBLUESWAN (0nm)
Runway28
Runway Length2850 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftInterplane Sky Boy
Tail NumberUNREG
Aircraft CategoryUltr
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 103
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 582UL-2V · Reciprocating · 65
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 serious injury)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 59 · None · Serious

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind340° @ 4 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingOvercast 12000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point66 F / 52
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time22:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data