Amateur-built S-2 accident near Obion, Tennessee, September 30, 2003
On September 30, 2003 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built S-2, registered N39S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Obion, Tennessee (Everett-Stewart 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 failure of the elevator control pushrod, that resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight collision with ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2003 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Obion, Tennessee · Everett-Stewart · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-2
- Registration
- N39S · no longer on the register · serial GS-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while practicing steep turns at 2500 feet, elevator control was lost. The airplane began an uncontrolled descent, and collided with the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator control pushrod was broken. Review of the maintenance records revealed that the 1977 Sheppard S-2 airplane had accumulated a total of 1184 total airframe hours. No record of the time in service was recovered for the failed component. Efforts to obtain information from the pilot was not successful.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 125 hours in all; 52 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,184 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming OV-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Obion TN at 9:45 pm
- Destination: Obion TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from DYR
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.