Amateur-built SNS-8 accident near South Prairie, Washington, March 25, 2003
On March 25, 2003 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built SNS-8, registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Prairie, Washington. 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 control of the aircraft during the crosswind turn resulting in an inadvertent spin entry, followed by his intentional stall to a landing resulting in a hard landing and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2003 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- South Prairie, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SNS-8
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 46
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot /owner of the unregistered experimental homebuilt SNS-8 aircraft took the aircraft out on its first flight following maintenance work. The pilot reported that the airspeed indicator was inaccurate. After departing the private airstrip, and about 1,300 feet above ground, he attempted to level the wings out of a left turn, but the aircraft continued rolling inverted and the pilot reported that it entered into a spin, which he recovered from after roughly two rotations. The pilot then elected to execute an immediate landing in a nearby field. During his approach, he intentionally slowed the aircraft to stall speed. The aircraft impacted the ground and immediately nosed over. An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and found no malfunction with its flight controls. He also reported finding a leak in the aircraft's pitot static system.
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: 426 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 14, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 447 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 02WA South Prairie WA at 9:30 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from TCM, 16 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.