Amateur-built Kolb Twinstar Mk III accident near London, Kentucky, November 14, 2004
On November 14, 2004 at about 5:40 pm local time, a amateur-built Kolb Twinstar Mk III, registered N83NK, was substantially damaged in an accident near London, Kentucky (Chestnut Knolls Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel contamination. A factor was the lack of an installed fuel strainer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2004 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- London, Kentucky · Chestnut Knolls Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Kolb Twinstar Mk III
- Registration
- N83NK · registry record · serial M3X-04-1-00052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was equipped with two semi opaque 5-gallon fuel tanks that simultaneously fed into the engine. The airplane was not equipped with a fuel strainer. Prior to the accident flight, 1 gallon of automobile gasoline was added to each tank, which brought the total amount of fuel on board to approximately 8 gallons. The pilot completed a preflight inspection of the airplane, and departed the airport. After two takeoffs and landings at the airport, the pilot boarded a passenger, and completed another takeoff and landing. While in the traffic pattern for another landing, the engine lost all power. The pilot attempted to glide to the runway, but the airplane impacted up-sloping terrain about 2-3 feet prior to the runway. Examination of the wreckage revealed contamination in the fuel tanks, fuel lines, fuel filter, and carburetor bowls. The engine was subsequently test run with a clean fuel supply, and it ran continuously with no abnormalities noted.
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: 625 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3KY2 London KY at 4:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,150 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.63 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LOZ, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.