Mark Coby EARLY BIRD JENNY accident near Stoneville, NC
On May 27, 2021, a Mark Coby EARLY BIRD JENNY (airplane) was involved in an accident near Stoneville, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 27, 2021
- Place
- Stoneville, NC
- Aircraft
- Mark Coby EARLY BIRD JENNY · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.438°N, 79.850°W
- NTSB ID
- 20210528103160
Official records · WPR21FA210
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 27, 2021, about 1835 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Early Bird Jenny, N831HC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Stoneville, North Carolina. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The co-owner/co-builder of the airplane stated that he flew the airplane on the morning of the accident, returning to the airport after about 30 minutes due to rain. The co-owner reported that the flight was uneventful and that the airplane performed well and handled as expected, even though the takeoff profile was “flatter than usual” due to the warmer temperature. He and the accident pilot, who was the other owner/builder of the airplane, moved the airplane into their hangar, where they waited for the rain to move through the area. Later that afternoon, the accident pilot departed on runway 31 for his flight. The co-owner reported that the pilot’s taxi to runway 31 was normal and that the engine was producing power, but the takeoff did not “look right.” He described the airplane’s pitch attitude as “a little steep” and stated that the airplane looked slow. He saw the wings rock left and right and the airplane “buffet” before the right wing dropped and the airplane impacted terrain. Another witness to the accident reported that the airplane appeared to be “hanging off the prop” during the initial climb and that its wings were “rocking.” About 150 ft above ground level, the airplane entered an abrupt turn and “dropped” to the ground and that
Probable cause
The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a loss of control.
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Browse: North Carolina
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
