Kolb Company MK II accident near Sweetwater, TN
On September 22, 2007, a Kolb Company MK II (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sweetwater, TN. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 22, 2007
- Place
- Sweetwater, TN
- Aircraft
- Kolb Company MK II · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.540°N, 84.526°W
- NTSB ID
- 20071005X01518
NTSB summary
On September 22, 2007, at 1411 central daylight time, an amateur-built Kolb MK II, N43046, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain shortly after departing West Wind Airpark Airport (TN64), Sweetwater, Tennessee. The non-certificated pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a witness, he observed as the pilot towed his airplane to the airport with a trailer. The witness assisted the pilot in removing the airplane from the trailer, and watched as the pilot assembled the airplane. He noted that the pilot seemed "rusty" or unfamiliar with the assembly. Additionally, the pilot also seemed "rusty" in his handling of the airplane as it departed. The witness watched as the airplane "wobbled" during climbout. When the airplane was approximately 1 mile away, it suddenly pitched upward as if the pilot was attempting a "stall." The airplane then leveled off briefly, and shortly thereafter, descended straight down until it disappeared behind trees. No radio distress calls from the pilot were heard by the witness, or anyone else at the airport. The pilot, age 73, held a state of Tennessee driver's license. He did not hold a pilot certificate or a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate. The pilot's logbooks were not recovered, and his total flight hours were not determined. The two-seat, high-wing, tail wheel equipped airplane, was powered by a Rotax 582, 64-horsepower engine. The
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during climb.
More accidents in TN
- Cessna 501, May 29, 2021
- Cessna 421B, Dec 2, 2004
- Piper PA32RT, Mar 5, 2024
- Bell 206, Apr 4, 2016
- Beech A36, Sep 1, 2007
Browse: Tennessee
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
