Star-Lite Engineering WARP 1A N914SL

Summary

On 21 April 1998 at about 14:54 local time, a Star-Lite Engineering WARP 1A registered N914SL, operated by Larry L. Collins, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 April 1998 at 14:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lakeland-Linder Regional (LAL)

Coordinates

27.9800, -82.0094

Aircraft

Star-Lite Engineering WARP 1A

Registration

N914SL

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Larry L. Collins

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA98LA141

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, while maneuvering on crosswind in the traffic pattern, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and an in-flight collision with a building and the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's decision to take off with a right quartering tailwind, and his lack of experience in the make and model of airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was observed to takeoff with a left quartering tailwind. A witness stated the airplane climbed out at very slow airspeed on the verge of a stall. The airplane was observed in a shallow right crosswind turn, when the angle of bank increased between 60 to 90 degrees. The nose pitched down, and the airplane was observed to roll over inverted before disappearing from view. No change in engine sound was noted. The airplane collided with a building and the terrain, and the pilot was fatally injured. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed no recorded flight time in the Warp 1A airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.