Steen SKYBOLT N32WM

Summary

On 4 July 2023 at about 14:00 local time, a Steen SKYBOLT registered N32WM was involved in an accident near Aliceville, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 July 2023 at 14:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Aliceville, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

George Downer (AIV)

Coordinates

33.1078, -88.1897

Aircraft

Steen SKYBOLT

Registration

N32WM

Category

Airplane

Year built

1987

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA288

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined as the wreckage was not recovered and could not be examined.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The experimental amateur-built airplane had not been operated for several years before the pilot purchased it and attempted to return it to a flight-ready condition. The pilot completed two test flights and then completed a circuit in the airport traffic pattern during the third flight. After approaching the runway and flying down its length to assess the airplane’s handling characteristics in ground effect, he attempted to add power with about 500 feet of runway remaining. At that point he realized that he was unable to move the carburetor heat control in order to deactivate it, and lacking sufficient runway to land, he decided to fly the airplane around the traffic pattern about 200 ft above ground level. While maneuvering back to the runway, the engine began to lose power and the airplane’s sink rate increased. The pilot leaned the mixture and changed fuel tanks; however, he could not restore engine power. He then performed a forced landing to a marshy area, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The wreckage was not recovered from the accident site and could not be examined, therefore a reason for the partial loss of engine power that the pilot reported could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.