Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 accident near Elkin, NC
On February 3, 2008, a Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Elkin, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 3, 2008
- Place
- Elkin, NC
- Aircraft
- Kaylor J E/Strahlmann R L RV-4 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 36.281°N, 80.780°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080207X00150
Official records · MIA08FA052
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 3, 2008, about 1617 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur built RV-4, N580RG, crashed while maneuvering at Elkin Municipal Airport (ZEF), Elkin, North Carolina. The flight was operated by the pilot as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged by impact and a postcrash fire, and the commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was killed. The flight originated about 1612, from Elkin Municipal Airport. The accident pilot and the pilots of 2 other airplanes departed from runway 07. After takeoff, the accident pilot turned downwind, base, and final for runway 07, and performed a low pass flying over the runway at an estimated altitude of 8 feet above ground level (agl). Witnesses reported that when the flight was near the departure end of runway 07, the airplane was observed to pitch up and roll to the left while continuing to climb. One pilot-rated witness reported that at the top of the climb at about 250 to 300 feet agl, the airplane appeared to perform a "split s" type maneuver, and the pilot appeared to have "...dished out of the roll...." The airplane began descending in a nose-low attitude, and the witness further reported that before losing sight of the airplane due to obstructions, the airplane was flying nearly perpendicular to the runway and began a rapid nose-up pitch change. The witness then observed a fireball. Friends of the pilot were at ZEF and witnessed the a
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to attempt an aerobatic maneuver in close proximity to 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.
