Charles D Walker WALKER CURTISS JN4D N8262

Summary

On 12 August 2017 at about 16:00 local time, a Charles D Walker WALKER CURTISS JN4D registered N8262 was involved in an accident near Bowling Green, Kentucky, 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

12 August 2017 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Bowling Green-Warren County Rg (BWG)

Coordinates

36.9669, -86.4192

Aircraft

Charles D Walker WALKER CURTISS JN4D

Registration

N8262

Category

Airplane

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bowling Green → Bowling Green

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA488

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s exceedance of the biplane’s critical angle of attack during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with trees.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built biplane reported that, following a normal initial climb, about 100 ft above the ground, the biplane started an uncommanded left turn, followed by a descent. He added that it became apparent that the flightpath was into the tree line, and he "attempted to climb to possibly maintain at least an altitude to clear the trees, but to no avail, nearly stalling." Subsequently, the biplane impacted the trees. The biplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the biplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the biplane is "not very stable once in a flying configuration, any air mass (gusts) change can disturb the balance and result in self-induced turns, climbs and descents. These movements have to be countered immediately because of the relative size (small) of control surfaces (rudder, ailerons). And corrections are slow, possibly resulting in loss of altitude. Pilots expect these upsets and become alert for them." The automated weather observation system on the accident airport reported, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 360° at 5 knots. The pilot was departing from runway 03. The calculated density altitude was 1,897 ft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.