Amateur-built SOPWITH CAMEL accident near Bolivar, Missouri, October 7, 2018
On October 7, 2018 at about 11:20 pm local time, a 2018 amateur-built SOPWITH CAMEL, registered N225JB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bolivar, Missouri (Bolivar Muni 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2018 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bolivar, Missouri · Bolivar Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SOPWITH CAMEL, built 2018
- Registration
- N225JB · registry record · serial 63017
- 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 landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane touched down and veered left. The pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the airplane continued left. He then attempted a go-around, but the airplane exited the runway, struck a ditch, and then nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 18,400 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 14,587 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 30, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3.2 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,106 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 3 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M17 Bolivar MO at 10:55 pm
- Destination: M17 Bolivar MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from KSGF, 21 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.
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 GAA19CA012.