Bucker BU-133 N1940H

Summary

On 24 June 2022 at about 19:25 local time, a Bucker BU-133 registered N1940H was involved in an accident near Hartford, Kentucky, 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

24 June 2022 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Hartford, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Ohio County (JDQ)

Coordinates

37.4657, -86.8458

Aircraft

Bucker BU-133

Registration

N1940H

Category

Airplane

Year built

1940

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA294

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall during an attempted return to the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that, during takeoff, the airplane became airborne about 1,000 ft down the 5,000-ft-long runway and immediately pitched up to a nose-high attitude with little increase in altitude. The witnesses also reported that the engine ran smoothly during the entire event. As the airplane passed the departure end of the runway, it made a slight right turn, followed by a sharp turn to the left back toward the runway. During the left turn, the nose dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground past the end of the runway in a left-wing-low attitude. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Given the witness statements and the lack of mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the pilot exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack while attempting to return to the airport during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.