N4493Stolp Starduster SA-300 · 1971

On May 25, 2014, about 2005 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Stolp Starduster SA-300, N4493, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged when it impacted a wheat field following an intentional spin near Newton, North Carolina. The private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The flight originated from Laneys Airport (N92), Maiden, North Carolina, about 1945.

The airplane was based at N92. According to a flight instructor, prior to the accident flight, the pilot had been attempting to teach himself aerobatics in the accident airplane. The flight instructor encouraged the pilot to receive formal training, but the pilot preferred to fly his own airplane. The flight instructor agreed on one occasion to provide training in the pilot's airplane. They performed steep turns, stalls, and slow flight uneventfully. They then performed several spins, including power on, power off, and accelerated spin entries; however, the pilot's knowledge and skill level were not quite adequate and the flight instructor terminated the spin training early. Additionally, the flight instructor noticed some deficiencies with the airplane during landing and advised the pilot not to fly it until repairs could be completed. The pilot subsequently contacted the flight instructor on two more occasions and requested more training. The flight instructor agreed to the training, as long as it was performed in his Decathlon, which the pilot did not agree to.

Three witnesses, who lived near the accident site, observed the airplane in level flight when the engine noise decreased and it entered a spin. The airplane continued to spin and descended toward the ground. One witness stated that the prior to the spin, the airplane performed a few tricks and a couple of stalls. A second witness stated that the airplane stopped spinning about 300 feet above the ground, but continued to nose dive into a wheat field. The third witness recorded a video of the accident sequence and a copy was forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, D.C., for further review.

Review of the video revealed that the airplane entered a left-turn spin and completed about seven revolutions before disappearing behind a treeline.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land, which was issued on December 11, 2011. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on November 6, 2013. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 115 hours. The pilot's logbook was not recovered.

The two-seat tandem, bi-wing, fixed tailwheel airplane, serial number 224, was constructed from a kit of steel tubing, with the wing and tail surfaces covered in fabric. The wing spars were constructed of wood. The kit was manufactured in 1971 and the airplane was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate in 1980. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320, 150-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller.

According to the aircraft logbooks, the airplane's most recent condition inspection was completed on May 20, 2009. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 873.4 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 1,623.5 total hours of operation; of which, 1,054.5 hours were accumulated since the last major overhaul was performed in 1966. According to the tachometer, the airplane had flown about 40 hours from the time of the condition inspection until the accident.

The airplane was involved in a prior accident in 2010 and was sold by a salvage facility to the pilot. The pilot made a logbook entry on June 16, 2012, noting that the engine was in airworthy condition; however, the pilot was not qualified to perform a condition inspection on the airplane.

Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina, was located about 14 miles northwest of the accident site. The recorded weather at HKY, at 1953, was: wind from 190 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 10 miles; few clouds at 9,000 feet; temperature 23 degrees Celsius; dew point 16 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury.

The two-seat tandem, bi-wing, fixed tailwheel airplane, serial number 224, was constructed from a kit of steel tubing, with the wing and tail surfaces covered in fabric. The wing spars were constructed of wood. The kit was manufactured in 1971 and the airplane was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate in 1980. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320, 150-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich two-blade, fixed-pitch propeller.

According to the aircraft logbooks, the airplane's most recent condition inspection was completed on May 20, 2009. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 873.4 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 1,623.5 total hours of operation; of which, 1,054.5 hours were accumulated since the last major overhaul was performed in 1966. According to the tachometer, the airplane had flown about 40 hours from the time of the condition inspection until the accident.

The airplane was involved in a prior accident in 2010 and was sold by a salvage facility to the pilot. The pilot made a logbook entry on June 16, 2012, noting that the engine was in airworthy condition; however, the pilot was not qualified to perform a condition inspection on the airplane.

The airplane impacted a wheat field and came to rest in a flat, upright attitude, on a magnetic heading about 130 degrees. The bi-wing had partially separated from the fuselage and was canted forward. The left and right ailerons remained attached to their respective upper and lower wings. The empennage remained intact and exhibited little damage. Control continuity was confirmed from the elevator and rudder to the rear cockpit control stick. The aileron system was constructed of push-pull tubes, which were impact damaged and continuity could not be confirmed. Continuity was also confirmed from the elevator trim tab to the pilot's seat (rear).

The cockpit was crushed, but the pilot's seat and 4-point harness remained intact. The forward fuselage fuel tank was compromised and an odor of fuel was present. The engine remained partially attached the fuselage. The two propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller flange had cracked and the propeller separated from the crankshaft. The airplane was not insured and not immediately recovered from the wheat field.

Following its recovery, the engine was further examined by an FAA inspector. The inspector noted cable continuity to the carburetor. The carburetor fuel screen was clean and the oil screen was absent of metallic particles. Due to impact damage, the crankshaft could only rotate about 1 inch, but the inspector was able to verify that all pistons moved and gears at the rear accessory section turned. Both magnetos produced spark at all leads when rotated by hand and the spark plugs exhibited normal wear. The throttle cable remained attached to the carburetor and the mixture control arm remained attached to the upper portion part of the carburetor assembly.

An autopsy was performed on the pilot on May 28, 2014, by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The cause of death was attributed to multiple injuries and no findings that could be considered causal to the accident were reported.

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for carbon monoxide, alcohol, and drugs.

The pilot reported that during the landing roll of his experimental category biplane, a gust from a left quartering tail wind caused the airplane to drift left. When he corrected the drift with right rudder input the right main landing gear collapsed causing damage to the right lower wing.