Amateur-built KOLB-FIRESTAR II accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia, August 11, 1995
On August 11, 1995 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built KOLB-FIRESTAR II, registered N94SY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrenceville, Georgia (Gwinnett County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain flying speed. A factor was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1995 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrenceville, Georgia · Gwinnett County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KOLB-FIRESTAR II KOLB-FIRES
- Registration
- N94SY · no longer on the register · serial FS-134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was performing his first takeoff in this airplane. He rotated early and over rotated due to the neutral stick position being farther forward than expected. The airplane stalled and subsequently collided with the ground.
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: 84 hours in all; 5 in the last 90 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kawasaki 440B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LZU at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,012 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots, gusting 3
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from LZU
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.