Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT accident near Frankfort, Kentucky, September 6, 2016
On September 6, 2016 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 2014 Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT, registered N2899X, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Frankfort, Kentucky (High Point Farm airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2016 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Frankfort, Kentucky · High Point Farm · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rainbow Sky Reach (PTY) LTD BUSHCAT NO SERIES, built 2014 · all BUSHCATs on the register
- Registration
- N2899X · no longer on the register · serial CH162B
- 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 was performing a low approach with full flaps about 30 feet above the runway. He further reported that when the airplane was about 60 feet from the end of the runway, he started to add power to go-around, but the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. Subsequently, the nose of the airplane "suddenly" dropped, the airplane impacted the terrain, and stopped on the remaining runway surface. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,568 hours in all; 51.2 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 0.3 in the last 30 days; 2,116.6 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 16, 2015
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 154.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 153 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFT Frankfort KY at 12:30 pm
- Destination: 05KT Frankfort KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KFFT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2899X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 GAA16CA469.