Amateur-built CA65 Sky Fly accident near Warrensburg, Missouri, June 15, 2002
On June 15, 2002 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built CA65 Sky Fly, registered N145JB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warrensburg, Missouri (Skyhaven airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll. A factor associated with the accident was the overload failure of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2002 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Warrensburg, Missouri · Skyhaven · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CA65 Sky Fly
- Registration
- N145JB · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right main landing gear collapsed following a loss of directional control on takeoff. The pilot reported "Gear collapsed on takeoff roll after veering to the left. I throttled it back when it started going left." A witness reported seeing the airplane veer to the left of the runway during the takeoff roll. The witness reported the right main gear collapsed as the airplane went off of the runway into the grass. The propeller then hit the ground and the airplane turned approximately 30 degrees to the right before coming to a stop. The reported winds 15 miles southeast of the accident site, 25 minutes after the accident, were from 250 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported the local winds were from 270 degrees at 5 knots at the time of the accident. The airplane was originally built as a retractable gear airplane; however, the landing gear was safetied in the extended position
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: 274 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 138 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2002; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9K4 Warrensburg MO at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 18MO Ozark MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from SZL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CHI02LA168.