Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona, January 23, 1993
On January 23, 1993, a amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT, registered N8LW, was destroyed in an accident near Fountain Hills, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INITIATION OF A LOW LEVEL AEROBATIC MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO ENSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1993
- Place
- Fountain Hills, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT STEEN SKYB
- Registration
- N8LW · registry record · serial 01
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FIVE WITNESSES WERE ON A BLUFF OVER LOOKING THE CREEK BED WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THEY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMING LOW LEVEL AEROBATICS OVER THE CREEK BED AT AN ALTITUDE THEY ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 100 AND 300 FEET AGL. THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A RIGHT AILERON ROLL AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE PRIOR TO RECOVERY.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ Mesa AZ at 11:15 pm
- Destination: FFZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from SDL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 LAX93LA100.