Grover J3 Kitten accident near Mohawk, TN
On June 9, 2004, a Grover J3 Kitten (airplane) was involved in an accident near Mohawk, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 9, 2004
- Place
- Mohawk, TN
- Aircraft
- Grover J3 Kitten · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 36.181°N, 83.121°W
- NTSB ID
- 20040616X00805
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 8, 2004, at 2018 eastern daylight time, an unregistered Grover J3 Kitten, experimental airplane, operated by a private owner, as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with the ground while maneuvering in the vicinity of Cooper's Field, Mohawk, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The non-FAA certificated pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated at Cooper's Field, Mohawk, Tennessee, at 1945 on June 8, 2004. The non certificated pilot departed Cooper's Field and the airplane was observed to climb between 500 to 700 feet. Witnesses observed the airplane in a hammerhead stall attitude in the vicinity of the airport. The airplane completed a hammerhead stall to the right when the witness heard a "flapping noise." The airplane appeared to recover from the maneuver and the airplane started a descending right turn. The witness observed about half the fabric covering the right wing had separated from the backside of the wing. A decrease in engine power was heard. The airplane stopped descending, leveled out at about 300 feet, and the airspeed decreased. The witnesses stated, "the right wing was observed to drop down, the nose pitched down as if the airplane was in a stall." The airplane collided with the ground in an open field in a nose down, right wing low attitude adjacent to Cooper's Field. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the non certificated pilot applie
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to perform aerobatic flight in an airplane with known deficiencies that resulted in the in-flight separation of the airframe and the uncontrolled collision with the ground.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
