Golden Circle Air, Inc. T-Bird II accident near Dunlap, Tennessee, November 18, 2004
On November 18, 2004 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Golden Circle Air, Inc. T-Bird II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dunlap, Tennessee (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare during forced landing following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the separation of a fuel line, which resulted in fuel starvation to the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2004 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dunlap, Tennessee · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Golden Circle Air, Inc. T-Bird II, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On takeoff, the airplane climbed to an altitude of approximately 60 to 90 feet when the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot immediately pushed the nose down, and the airplane descended at a steep descent angle. When the pilot pulled back on the controls to flare the airplane, it did not round out as he expected it should, and it hit the ground hard and traveled approximately 30 or 40 feet and came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed the nosewheel was separated, the tubular metal frame forward of the seats was separated, and both wings were damaged. A witness who arrived at the scene reported a fuel line was found disconnected from the base of the fuel tank, and there was no fuel in the tank and no odor of fuel on the airplane or on the ground. No clamp was observed on the disconnected line. The pilot stated the flight had departed with sufficient fuel in the fuel tank.
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: rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 226 hours in all; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 226 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KCHA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.