Amateur-built MONI-1 accident near Timberlake, North Carolina, August 18, 2003
On August 18, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built MONI-1, registered N240A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Timberlake, North Carolina (Pearson City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall and subsequent collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Timberlake, North Carolina · Pearson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MONI-1
- Registration
- N240A · registry record · serial 003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a witness, approximately 500 feet past the departure end of the runway, the airplane banked steeply to the left. The witness stated he "could see the entire top of the airplane. Then the airplane turned nose down and spun about one rotation to the left and impacted the ground". Examination of the downed airplane found it in a nose down attitude at the accident site.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,456 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,400 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 17, 2003; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 560 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kfm 107 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TDF Timberlake NC at 6:25 pm
- Destination: TDF Timberlake NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from RDU, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.