Bartholomew FIRESTAR N432JR

Summary

On 2 November 2003 at about 22:20 local time, a Bartholomew FIRESTAR registered N432JR, operated by Cornelius A. Wolfe, was involved in an accident near Waxhaw, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 November 2003 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Waxhaw, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

JAARS-Townsend (N52)

Coordinates

34.8636, -80.7472

Aircraft

Bartholomew FIRESTAR

Registration

N432JR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cornelius A. Wolfe

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waxhaw → Waxhaw

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04LA033

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering on final approach resulting in an inadvertent stall and in-flight collision with trees and the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he was on final approach at the JAARS-Townsend Airport. He realized that he was too high, so he made a 360-degree turn to the left followed by a 360-degree turn to the right. The turn rate was almost completed when the right roll rate increased due to encountering the wake turbulence from the initial 360-degree turn. The airplane stalled and collided with the trees and the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.