Grover J3 KITTEN UNREG

Summary

On 9 June 2004 at about 00:18 local time, a Grover J3 KITTEN registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Mohawk, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 June 2004 at 00:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Mohawk, Tennessee, United States

Coordinates

36.1805, -83.1209

Aircraft

Grover J3 KITTEN

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morristown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04LA128

1 person died.

The pilot's decision to perform aerobatic flight in an airplane with known deficiencies that resulted in the in-flight separation of the airframe and the uncontrolled collision with the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non certificated pilot attempted VFR flight in a non-registered experimental airplane with known deficiencies in the right wing (broken ribs.) The airplane was observed by friends of the pilot performing aerobatic flight (hammerhead stalls) The trailing edge skin (fabric) was observed by the witnesses to separate from the back side of the wing. A decrease in power was heard by the witnesses and the airspeed of the airplane was observed to decrease. The right wing of the airplane dropped down, the nose pitched down as if the airplane was in a "stall." The airplane collided with the ground in a nose down attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed the wing fabric was glued and not stitched. The wing fabric had separated 3 feet outboard the wing root and extended outboard 4 feet. All ribs in the right wing were broken. No anomalies were noted with the flight controls. The Volkswagen engine assembly was not disassembled based on witness statements. The engine was removed and weighed. The engine assembly weighed 90 pounds. The aircraft empty weight authorized by 14 CFR Part 103.1 is 254 pounds. The empty weight of the airplane with the Volkswagen engine was 278 pounds. The airplane was required to be registered with the FAA in accordance with 14 CFR Part 47.3.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.