Amateur-built Sabre-Trike accident near Crandall, Georgia, August 12, 2009
On August 12, 2009, a amateur-built Sabre-Trike (weight-shift aircraft), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Crandall, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2009
- Place
- Crandall, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Sabre-Trike
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial Unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he planned a short duration local flight and while on approach returning to land, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. He initiated an approach to a farmer’s pasture and in the process landed hard on the nose wheel which broke off. The weight-shift aircraft then nosed over.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Crandall GA
- Destination: Crandall GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from CHA, 20 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
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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG 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.