Just Aircraft LLC Highlander accident near Walhalla, South Carolina, April 2, 2006
On April 2, 2006 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Just Aircraft LLC Highlander, registered N9085N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walhalla, South Carolina. 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 and owner/builders failure to determine the reason for partial loss of engine power resulting in loss of engine power due to fuel system contamination on a subsequent flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2006 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Walhalla, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Just Aircraft LLC Highlander · all Highlanders on the register
- Registration
- N9085N · registry record · serial JAESC0019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the builder/owner of the airplane, the airplane was certified as a Light Sport Airplane (LSA) on March 28, 2006, and was being prepared for an air show in Florida. During the preparation of the airplane, the builder/owner stated that they noticed that a vacuum hose was loose. They repaired the hose and the pilot flew the airplane around for an hour, and everything checked out "ok". The builder/owner stated that on the morning of the accident the pilot flew the airplane around again to check to make sure they had good "temperatures". The pilot took off again and after climbing to approximately 100 feet AGL the engine began to sputter in and out. He landed the airplane and shut the engine down. The builder/owner stated that when the pilot started up the airplane again he conducted 2 run-ups before take off. Both run-ups sounded good. The pilot took off again and the engine again began to sputter during the climb out. A witness who was located across the lake from the airstrip heard the engine sputtering as he observed the airplane above the tree line adjacent to the lake. The airplane made a hard left turn but was "still on a level plain". The airplane went below the tree line and disappeared from view. The witness heard "the engine race one last time before the sound of impact." Examination of the fuel pumps revealed that both pumps had a fine mesh screens on the inlet side of the pumps. The screens were found to have excessive debris build up. Examination of the debris revealed it appeared to be fiberglass fibers, and the fibers were consistent with the fuel tank construction materials.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,850 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Walhalla SC at 1:45 pm
- Destination: Walhalla SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from CEU, 3 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL06LA060.