Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT N14BB accident near Harrison, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

A witness reported that after the airplane lifted off, it proceeded “straight-and-level” down the runway about 50 feet above ground level (agl). When the airplane reached the end of the runway, it pitched up into a “very steep” climb angle of about 45-50 degrees. The climb continued to approximately 200 feet agl, when the airplane entered a left turn to an easterly heading. However, the airplane continued banking to the left until it became inverted. At that point, the nose of the airplane was “pointed almost straight down. The plane continued to spin to the left until it disappeared from sight behind the fence.” The airplane impacted terrain southeast of the departure end of the runway. A post accident examination did not reveal any anomalies associated with a pre impact failure or malfunction of the airframe or engine. Fractures of the pilot control stick and mating control rod were due to overstress separation resulting from the impact sequence.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09LA536 for the full record.