Cub Crafters INC CC18-180 accident near Pennsboro, West Virginia, June 17, 2014
On June 17, 2014, a 2010 Cub Crafters INC CC18-180, registered N696RP, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Pennsboro, West Virginia (Private Airstrip airport). 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 during initial climb for reasons that could not be determined because the postaccident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2014 · cases in 2014
- Place
- Pennsboro, West Virginia · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cub Crafters INC CC18-180, built 2010 · all CC18-180s on the register
- Registration
- N696RP · registry record · serial CC18-0047
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he performed several high-speed taxis on his private airstrip. After about 15 minutes, the pilot initiated a takeoff on the 1,780-foot-long turf runway. About 100 feet above ground level, the engine either lost all power or went to idle (the pilot could not be sure); the pilot did state that the engine was not running rough before the power loss. The pilot banked the airplane left in an attempt to land on an adjacent property, but the airplane stalled and impacted a ravine. The pilot added that during the attempted forced landing, the rpm momentarily increased and then decreased again. Examination of the wreckage revealed that adequate fuel was on board and there was no evidence of fuel contamination. Continuity was confirmed throughout the fuel system and there were no obstructions in the intake or exhaust system. The carburetor was actuated by hand and no anomalies were observed. The propeller was rotated 360 degrees by hand and no mechanical malfunctions were observed. Review of a carburetor icing chart revealed that, for the given temperature and dew point, serious icing was possible at glide power; however, the engine was at full power during the takeoff and initial climb before the loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,601 hours in all; 485 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 208 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2014; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P (piston); 208 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Pennsboro WV
- Destination: NONE Pennsboro WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,780 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from CKB, 30 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
5 documents, released by the NTSB on August 26, 2014. 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 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Interview Summaries | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Carburetor Icing Chart | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N696RP on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cub Crafters Inc CC18 51 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C4P 102 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in West Virginia 424 since 1982 · 54 in the last ten years
- West Virginia 885 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA14LA294.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.