Amateur-built LIGHTNING accident near Franklin, Virginia, December 10, 2016
On December 10, 2016 at about 5:19 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built LIGHTNING, registered N59JL, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Franklin, Virginia (Franklin Municipal-John Beverl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to pre-ignition damage to the No. 2 cylinder piston and the pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2016 · about 5:19 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, Virginia · Franklin Municipal-John Beverl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LIGHTNING NO SERIES, built 2007
- Registration
- N59JL · no longer on the register · serial 20
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a local personal flight with a pilot-rated passenger in the experimental, amateur-built airplane. During the initial climb, when the airplane was at 100 ft above ground level (agl), the pilot felt a vibration that soon stopped. She continued the takeoff and noted that all exhaust gas temperature (EGT) readings were higher than normal, with the No. 2 cylinder EGT over the maximum red line limit; the engine then lost partial power. She kept full throttle applied, informed her passenger of the discrepancy, and remained in the traffic pattern to return to the airport. While flying about 200 ft agl and turning onto the base leg of the airport traffic pattern, she reduced the throttle to slow the airplane from 80 to 75 mph; at that moment, the left wing dropped immediately, which she later indicated was consistent with an aerodynamic stall although she did not feel any airframe buffet. The airplane impacted and remained suspended in trees a few feet off the ground. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed damage to the No. 2 cylinder piston consistent with pre-ignition. This damage was likely the source of the partial loss of engine power. While the pilot was using an oil additive, the investigation could not determine whether the additive contributed to pre-ignition. The airplane was not equipped with stall warning protection. Although the pilot/builder had accrued about 290 flight hours in the accident airplane and should have been familiar with its aerodynamic stall characteristics, stall warning protection could have alerted the pilot to an impending stall so that she could take action to avoid the stall.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Malfunction
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,951 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 4,703 as pilot in command; 2,089 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 293 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 9, 2016; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 3300 (piston); 292 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FKN Franklin VA at 5:17 pm
- Destination: FKN Franklin VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,976 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from FKN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
12 documents, released by the NTSB on July 8, 2019. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of NTSB Conversations | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Fuel Records | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Powerplant Limitations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Log Excerpts | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Non-volatile Memory Data Factual Report | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Non-volatile Memory Data Attachment 1 | data file | Download |
| 11 | Non-volatile Memory Data Attachment 2 | data file | Download |
| 12 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15, and NTSB Evidence Control Forms | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.