Kolb MARK III N18EX

Summary

On 14 August 2008 at about 21:00 local time, a Kolb MARK III registered N18EX was involved in an accident near Richland, Washington, 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

14 August 2008 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Richland, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Richland (KRLD)

Coordinates

46.3056, -119.3042

Aircraft

Kolb MARK III

Registration

N18EX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Richland → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA08LA178

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed above stall speed while executing a steeply banked turn in the traffic pattern.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Soon after taking off from the paved runway, the pilot of the experimental airplane leveled off about 200 feet above ground level. At that altitude, and long before reaching the departure end of the runway, the pilot began a 180 degree turn that would bring him onto a low-level downwind where he would soon turn base from this very abbreviated traffic pattern. During the turn, the bank angle of the airplane became very steep, and the pilot failed to maintain an airspeed above the increased stalling speed (Vs) in the steep turn. The airplane stalled and descended at a steep angle into the terrain. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of a structural or flight control malfunction, and there were no anomalies found with the engine. Witnesses at the airport familiar with the pilot and the airplane stated that the pilot flew this abbreviated low altitude traffic pattern often.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.