Fisher Flying Products Super Koala accident near Hazen, North Dakota, July 6, 2019
On July 6, 2019 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 2008 Fisher Flying Products Super Koala, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N220FF, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Hazen, North Dakota (Mercer County Regional Airport). It was a flight test 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 airplane owner's and mechanic's improper rigging and cable tension of the aileron control system, which resulted in a loss of control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2019 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hazen, North Dakota · Mercer County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fisher Flying Products Super Koala, built 2008, amateur-built
- Registration
- N220FF · no longer on the register · serial 020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane owner and a mechanic had reassembled the airplane's wings and re-rigged the flight controls; the pilot had subsequently been having trouble with aileron control during test flights. The accident flight was the fourth test flight of the day to diagnose and fix the issue. During takeoff, the airplane "quickly" became airborne and began to roll to the left about 15 ft above the ground. The pilot applied full right aileron; however, the airplane continued to roll left and descend, and the airplane impacted the ground in a left-wing-low attitude, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing spar, bottom fuselage, cowling, engine, landing gear, and firewall. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed improper rigging of the ailerons. The improper rigging and improper aileron cable tensions most likely resulted in a loss of aileron control during takeoff.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Flight control sys malf/fail during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Aileron control system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Maintenance personnel
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Owner/builder
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 830 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503DCSI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HZE Hazen ND
- Destination: HZE Hazen ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,999 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from BIS, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Request | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | 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.
Other NTSB records under N220FF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.