Amateur-built S-600 accident near Wellington, Ohio, May 8, 1995
On May 8, 1995 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built S-600, registered N600RT, was destroyed in an accident near Wellington, Ohio (Botsford airport). It was a positioning 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering, which resulted in a stall and collision 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 8, 1995 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Ohio · Botsford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-600
- Registration
- N600RT · no longer on the register · serial 16
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the airplane in a low pass over the Botsford Airport, then saw it enter a steep left climbing turn before it nosed down and descended to the ground. It impacted the ground in a steep nose down attitude about 200 yards from runway 18/36. Two witnesses reported that as the airplane was climbing, the engine lost power. Examination of the airplane revealed that both wing root leading edges, at the vicinity of the wet wing fuel cells, were ruptured with no evidence of fuel in either cell at the fuel discharge location. The smoke oil tank, located aft of the firewall, was found damaged and ruptured with about a 'quart of fluid' in the bottom of the tank. However, the examination disclosed 'no indications of an internal or external failure to the basic powerplant.'
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 830 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1995; 7 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGC Michigan City IN at 1:30 pm
- Destination: Philadelphia PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from CLE, 23 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.