Amateur-built SKYBOLT accident near Pennington, New Jersey, May 25, 1991
On May 25, 1991 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SKYBOLT, registered N69JB, was destroyed in an accident near Pennington, New Jersey (Twin Pines airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT LIFT OFF AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRPLANE WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1991 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pennington, New Jersey · Twin Pines
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SKYBOLT
- Registration
- N69JB · registry record · serial B-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO MAKE A HIGH SPEED TAXI RUN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS HOMEBUILT WHICH HE HAD JUST COMPLETED. HE INADVERTENTLY BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY PITCHED NOSE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD NOT FLOWN DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS AND HAD NO PREVIOUS TIME IN MAKE AND MODEL OF 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: 395 hours in all; 395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1991
- Maximum gross weight: 1,759 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from TTN, 3 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.
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.