Amateur-built 1200 accident near Batesville, Indiana, June 8, 2016
On June 8, 2016 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built 1200, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Batesville, Indiana (Batesville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to depart without obtaining flight training in the accident airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2016 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Batesville, Indiana · Batesville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 1200 Z
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial unknown
- 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, during the initial climb after takeoff, he noticed the controls were "loose and sloppy," and he elected to return to the airport and land. During the turn back to the airport, the airplane's nose dropped, and the pilot increased back pressure on the control stick with little effect. The airplane descended into the wooded terrain about 1/4-mile northwest of the airport, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot was likely unfamiliar with the airplane's handling characteristics, as he stated that he had not received any flight training specific to the accident airplane. It is likely that, during the turn, the nose dropped due an aerodynamic stall; the pilot's increased back pressure on the control stick exacerbated the stall by further decreasing the airspeed and increasing the angle of attack.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Attempted remediation/recovery during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Training › Training with equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 250 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Zeonoa (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLB Batesville IN at 3:20 pm
- Destination: HLB Batesville IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KHAO, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on August 16, 2016. 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 | Record of Conversation with FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Miscellaneous Information | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.