Amateur-built MIDGET MUSTANG-I accident near Waycross, Georgia, July 9, 2000
On July 9, 2000 at about 3:33 pm local time, a amateur-built MIDGET MUSTANG-I, registered N114JB, was destroyed in an accident near Waycross, Georgia (Waycross airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control during initial climb that resulted in the aircraft colliding with the ground and incurring damage. A factor in the accident was the pilot's diverted attention, when he inadvertently knocked the spectacles off his face while adjusting his headset.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2000 · about 3:33 pm local time
- Place
- Waycross, Georgia · Waycross · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MIDGET MUSTANG-I MIDGET MUS
- Registration
- N114JB · registry record · serial JB4
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness, a licensed aviation mechanic who observed the aircraft during the takeoff, stated that about 300 feet above ground level, the aircraft pitched nose up and entered an abrupt roll, followed by a 60- to 70-degree bank. The witness also said that the aircraft had lost altitude and airspeed during the maneuver, and it impacted the ground, and was destroyed. He stated that the airplane did not appear to malfunction, but it looked as if the pilot either pitched the nose up and stalled the airplane, or attempted a snap roll maneuver at a low altitude, and did not recover prior to impacting the ground. The witness later represented the FAA, and examined the accident airplane, and found that there was continuity to all flight control surfaces. The pilot stated that during initial climb, his headset wire was restricting his head movement, and while adjusting the headset, he accidentally knocked his spectacles off, and lost control of the aircraft.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,321 hours in all; 217 in this make and model; 3,321 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 250 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 2000; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,022 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ABY Albany GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from AMG, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 MIA00LA210.