Bowers Fly Baby 1-A accident near Jefferson, Georgia, January 8, 2012
On January 8, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bowers Fly Baby 1-A, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4626, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Jefferson, Georgia (Jackson County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin. Also causal was the partial loss of engine power during the initial climb due to the improper installation of a magneto. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to take off with an engine problem and the mechanic’s failure to detect the missing magneto rotor cotter pins during the last engine overhaul.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jefferson, Georgia · Jackson County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bowers Fly Baby 1-A, amateur-built · all 1-As on the register
- Registration
- N4626 · no longer on the register · serial 71-28
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was about 200 feet above ground level when it stalled, spun about one-half turn to the right, impacted the ground in a nose down attitude, and burned. A witness reported that the pilot was attempting to diagnose an engine problem prior to departure. The witness also said that the engine was running rough and backfiring. A postaccident examination revealed that the right magneto distributor gear was unsecured inside the housing, and galling signatures were present. The galling signatures were consistent with damage found after the gear became loose while the engine was under power. Since limited maintenance records were available, it could not be determined how many flight hours had accumulated since the last engine overhaul; however, it is probable that the cotter pin was not installed in either magneto rotor drive shaft and that the right magneto’s castellated nut came loose during engine operation. It is probable that the unsecured distributor gear reduced engine performance, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power. The probability also exists that, at the time of the accident, the airplane was being operated in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at cruise power; however, the investigation could not conclusively determine that carburetor icing occurred.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Explosion (post-impact) during post (impact)
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Other/unknown
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Post maintenance inspection › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,082 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 924 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 19A Jefferson GA at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 19A Jefferson GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,009 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from 19A
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.
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 ERA12LA141.