Amateur-built SKY RANGER accident near Hedgesville, West Virginia, June 14, 2019
On June 14, 2019 at about 10:55 pm local time, a 2002 amateur-built SKY RANGER, registered N106RK, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Hedgesville, West Virginia (Green Landings Private Residen airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to the formation of carburetor ice while on the ground, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2019 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hedgesville, West Virginia · Green Landings Private Residen · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKY RANGER, built 2002
- Registration
- N106RK · no longer on the register · serial SKR0210260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noncertificated pilot and passenger had just departed for a local flight. After takeoff, when the airplane was about 100-150 ft above ground level, the pilot felt a loss of engine power and the engine speed decreased to about 3,000 rpm. About 3 seconds later, the engine speed decreased to about 2,300 rpm. The pilot said that he was unable to land on the remaining runway and there were power lines near the departure end of the runway, so he performed a turn back toward the departure runway. According to the pilot, the airplane descended and impacted terrain and sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. According to a carburetor icing chart, the weather conditions were conducive for serious carburetor icing at glide power, about the time of the accident, which would have allowed for carbuerator ice to build up while at reduced power on the ground. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Flight time: 330 hours in all; 330 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 328 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 19, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,234 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WV22 Hedgesville WV at 10:55 pm
- Destination: WV22 Hedgesville WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MRB, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on June 8, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Witness Statements | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Saib CE-09-35 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Carburetor Icing Chart and Mogas | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.