Antares MA-33 accident near Centerburg, Ohio, July 15, 2009
On July 15, 2009, a Antares MA-33, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N6405, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Centerburg, Ohio (Chapman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2009
- Place
- Centerburg, Ohio · Chapman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Antares MA-33, amateur-built · all MA-33s on the register
- Registration
- N6405 · no longer on the register · serial 070382
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness reported that the pilot departed from the grass airstrip in the weight-shift controlled aircraft about three minutes prior to the accident. He reported that the aircraft was about 100 - 150 feet above ground level. He stated, “The plane seemed to go up and then the left wing dipped, and then the airplane spiraled to the ground.” He reported that the engine was running. The impact damage to the aircraft was consistent with a steep, nose down attitude. The inspection of the aircraft’s weight-shift control system revealed no preexisting anomalies. The inspection of the aircraft logbook indicated that the last conditional maintenance inspection was conducted on December 15, 2006. A review of the aircraft experimental operating limitations as of August 28, 2005, item #18, stated that, “No person shall operate this aircraft unless the preceding twelve calendar months it has had a conditional inspection performed, and recorded in the aircraft maintenance records.”
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Not inspected
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 50 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 15, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 957 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OH71 Centerburg OH
- Destination: OH71 Centerburg OH
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 27, 3,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from CMH, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 CEN09LA440.