Harris-Runyan SKYBOLT 300 N511GS

Summary

On 21 July 2016 at about 23:40 local time, a Harris-Runyan SKYBOLT 300 registered N511GS was involved in an accident near Fairmont, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 2016 at 23:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Fairmont, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

36.3722, -97.6608

Aircraft

Harris-Runyan SKYBOLT 300

Registration

N511GS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1993

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Enid → Enid

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16FA278

2 people died.

The pilot's delay in recovering from an aerobatic maneuver resulting in collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot and pilot-rated passenger departed on a local flight with the intention of performing aerobatic maneuvers. According to a witness near the accident site, the airplane was performing aerobatic maneuvers. He stated that the airplane flew over at a high altitude and performed a barrel roll. The airplane continued south and then pitched up to climb straight up. The nose of the airplane came down through the horizon and the airplane started "tumbling". He stated that 1/3 of the way through the tumble the airplane rolled over on its back and entered an inverted flat spin. Damage to the airplane and witness marks on the ground were consistent with the airplane impacting the ground in an inverted, nose low attitude. No anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction were observed. The witness did not see the final seconds of the flight and it is unknown if or when the pilot may have initiated a recovery from the intentional maneuver. It is likely that the pilot waited too long to recover from the aerobatic maneuver.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.