Kolb Company TWINSTAR accident near Abingdon, Virginia, June 25, 1995
On June 25, 1995 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Kolb Company TWINSTAR, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N7165L, was destroyed in an accident near Abingdon, Virginia (Virginia Highlands Arpt 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 LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE CONDITION INSPECTION WAS OVERDUE AND THE INADEQUATE TRAINING RECEIVED BY THE STUDENT PILOT OWNER/BUILDER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1995 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Abingdon, Virginia · Virginia Highlands Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kolb Company TWINSTAR, amateur-built
- Registration
- N7165L · no longer on the register · serial TS-242
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS WHEN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE TURN TO BASE LEG AT AN ALTITUDE OF 300 FEET AGL. ON FINAL, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH NO MECHANICAL REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A TWO CYCLE ENGINE IS TO 'LOADUP' AFTER AN EXTENDED TIME AT IDLE POWER. THE LAST CONDITON INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED IN 1991. THE STUDENT PILOT'S AIRMAN CLASS 3 MEDICAL CERTIFICATE/STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED AND HAD NOT BEEN ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHT.
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
- Flight time: 345 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 345 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 20, 1994; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 529 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,470 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from TRI
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.