Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near Lakeland, Florida, May 25, 1998
On May 25, 1998 at about 3:50 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N6JJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control of the airplane, after landing, resulting in the airplane departing the left side of the runway and subsequent impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1998 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N6JJ · registry record · serial LM-6
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight landed on runway 23. The pilot lost control of the airplane, it departed the runway to the left, went over a grassy area, crossed runway 9/27, broke off one of the main landing gear, a wing struck the ground, and the airplane ground looped. The pilot was issues an NTSB Form 6720.1/2 on May 27, 1998. As of December 17, 1998, the completed NTSB Form 6120.1/2, was never returned, and there are no written statements from the pilot on the events of the accident
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 559 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 618 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from LAL
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.
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.