Amateur-built Skybolt accident near Altus, Oklahoma, May 23, 2004
On May 23, 2004 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Skybolt, registered N25BM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Altus, Oklahoma (Altus Municipal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The partial in-flight separation of the wing fabric and rib structure due to an inadequate material installed by the airplane builder.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 2004 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Altus, Oklahoma · Altus Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Skybolt
- Registration
- N25BM · registry record · serial S-BM-001
- 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 aerobatic maneuvers when he noticed the fabric on the top right wing was separating and departing the airplane. The pilot reduced the engine power, airspeed, and altitude, and then returned to the airport. Examination of the airplane revealed the wing rib stitching had failed, and approximately 5 feet of the top right wing fabric and approximately 3 feet of the top right wing lower fabric was separated. According to a fabric manufacturer technical bulletin, "When light weight fabric is installed on an aircraft with a high horsepower engine and inadequate fabric forming structural spacing, coating fatigue cracks develop very rapidly...We recommend fabric weighing less than 2.4 [ounces] per [square yard] be used only on aircraft with engines up to 145 [horsepower]." The fabric covering weight on the airplane was 1.7 ounces per square yard, and the airplane was equipped with a 300-horsepower engine.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AXS Altus OK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HBR, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW04LA148.