Boehlke Kevin P 2/3 SCALE JENNY N987KB

Summary

On 18 March 2012 at about 21:15 local time, a Boehlke Kevin P 2/3 SCALE JENNY registered N987KB was involved in an accident near Hannacroix, New York, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 March 2012 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Hannacroix, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Wayne Delp (33NY)

Coordinates

42.4103, -73.8708

Aircraft

Boehlke Kevin P 2/3 SCALE JENNY

Registration

N987KB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

West Coxsackie → West Coxsackie

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA233

1 person was seriously injured.

The non-certificated pilot's improper high-speed taxi test, which resulted in a loss of control and the pilot's subsequent decision to take off to avoid trees. Also causal, was an in-flight magneto failure, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane due to his lack of total flight experience and his lack of experience in the airplane make and model.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-certificated pilot built the airplane, which was certificated about 19 months earlier. According to the pilot, the airplane had not flown, and because he wanted to ensure it was flyable again, he conducted a high-speed taxi test with no intent for flight. During the taxi test, the pilot lost control of the airplane, and by the time he had regained control, the airplane was approaching the end of the runway. To avoid the trees, the pilot decided to take off and complete one circuit to a landing. As the pilot turned the airplane onto final approach, he noted a loss of engine power. The pilot then lost control of the airplane, regained it, and attempted to land in a small field as the airplane continued to lose altitude. The pilot avoided a barn, but while doing so, the airplane hit a pine tree, spun around into the direction from which it came, and dropped nose-first to the ground. Postflight examination of the airplane revealed evidence of low power on the 65-horsepower engine at impact, and the left magneto was inoperative. Federal Aviation Administration records indicated that the pilot had previously held a student pilot certificate, which expired in 2001, and the pilot indicated that he had no flight experience in the accident airplane make and model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.