D-Fly UL Stork accident near Jackson, Georgia, January 31, 2009
On January 31, 2009 at about 8:55 pm local time, a D-Fly UL Stork, registered N620KJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Jackson, Georgia. 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 pilot's inadvertent activation of an engine cutoff switch during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2009 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- D-Fly UL Stork
- Registration
- N620KJ · registry record · serial 002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of the experimental, amateur-built airplane was in cruise flight at 1,500 ft above ground level when he shut down the engine by inadvertently activating an unguarded engine cutoff switch that was recently installed on the control stick. After two unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, he performed an off-field landing to a golf course. During the landing roll the airplane impacted a metal box resulting in damage to the landing gear, propeller, and left wing strut.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Emergency shutdown system › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,250 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 44 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 25, 2009; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motor C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 62GA Jackson GA at 8:55 pm
- Destination: 10GA Griffin GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from FFC, 18 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.
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.