Stray Goose Research LLC AIRCAM accident near Calhoun, Georgia, January 5, 2023
On January 5, 2023 at about 6:19 pm local time, a 2020 Stray Goose Research LLC AIRCAM, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N522EA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Calhoun, Georgia (Tom B David Fld airport). 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 asymmetric throttle application, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll, runway excursion, and collision with ground equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2023 · about 6:19 pm local time
- Place
- Calhoun, Georgia · Tom B David Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Stray Goose Research LLC AIRCAM, built 2020, amateur-built
- Registration
- N522EA · registry record · serial AC-251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing touch-and-go landings, and during the landing roll, he removed his hand from the twin-engine airplane’s throttles to turn off the electrically-powered fuel pumps. As the pilot moved his hand, his sweater sleeve caught on the right throttle handle, the right engine power increased, and the airplane veered off the runway to the left. During the runway excursion, the airplane collided with a runway marker sign and visual approach lighting equipment, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The pilot attempted to reduce the right throttle setting, but his sweater was jammed between the throttles, and he ultimately stopped the airplane by shutting down the airplane’s engines. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Unintentional use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 36,000 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 24.5 in the last 90 days; 17.3 in the last 30 days; 30,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 11, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 237.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2022
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rotax 912-ULS2 (piston); 237 hours total
- Engine 2: Rotax 912-ULS2 (piston); 237 hours total
- Operator: Stray Goose Research LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 6 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from RMG, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRMG 051753Z AUTO 23006G15KT 10SM CLR 14/00 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP189 T01440000 10144 20028 58010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 15, 2023. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 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.