Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near Collinsville, Oklahoma, August 27, 1994
On August 27, 1994 at about 4:25 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N113BW, was destroyed in an accident near Collinsville, Oklahoma (Sand Ridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1994 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Collinsville, Oklahoma · Sand Ridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N113BW · no longer on the register · serial WGW-SB1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE ROTATED AT THE MIDPOINT OF A 2,400 FOOT RUNWAY AND ACCELERATED WHILE ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A RAPID PULL UP TO VERTICAL. FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 200 FEET TO 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A LEFT TURN AND THE BANK INCREASED TO EXCEED 90 DEGREES. THE AIRPLANE THEN PITCHED DOWN FROM 30 DEGREES TO NEAR VERTICAL WITH LEFT WING LOW. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS AT FULL POWER. A POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THERE WERE NO AIRFRAME DISCREPANCIES NOTED. CONTROL RODS AND A RUDDER CABLE WERE FOUND SEPARATED AND EXAMINATION BY THE NTSB METALLURGIST REVEALED THE CONTROL RODS EXHIBITED FRACTURE FEATURES AND ASSOCIATED DEFORMATION CONSISTENT WITH OVERSTRESS SEPARATIONS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,528 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1994
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: JLN Joplin MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,400 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.