Amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR 1 accident near Davenport, Florida, December 24, 1998
On December 24, 1998 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR 1, registered N643FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davenport, Florida. 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 perform weight and balance calculations, resulting in a loss of directional control on initial takeoff climb due to an aft center of gravity flight condition, in flight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot lack of total and recent experience (0 flight hours) in the Kolb Firestar 1 airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1998 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Davenport, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KOLB FIRESTAR 1 KOLB FIRES
- Registration
- N643FS · no longer on the register · serial FS643
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot did not calculate weight and balance information for the planned flight. This resulted in an aft center of gravity condition. The pilot experienced a loss of directional control on initial takeoff climb which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees and terrain. The pilot stated he had not flown in 3 years. He indicated on the NTSB accident report that he had not logged any flight time in the accident airplane.
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: 139 hours in all; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 24, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 725 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4FL9 at 3:44 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 13 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from GIF
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.