Kolb Mark III accident near Richland, Washington, August 14, 2008
On August 14, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Kolb Mark III, registered N18EX, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Richland, Washington (Richland 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 failure to maintain an adequate airspeed above stall speed while executing a steeply banked turn in the traffic pattern.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Richland, Washington · Richland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kolb Mark III
- Registration
- N18EX · registry record · serial 2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Soon after taking off from the paved runway, the pilot of the experimental airplane leveled off about 200 feet above ground level. At that altitude, and long before reaching the departure end of the runway, the pilot began a 180 degree turn that would bring him onto a low-level downwind where he would soon turn base from this very abbreviated traffic pattern. During the turn, the bank angle of the airplane became very steep, and the pilot failed to maintain an airspeed above the increased stalling speed (Vs) in the steep turn. The airplane stalled and descended at a steep angle into the terrain. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of a structural or flight control malfunction, and there were no anomalies found with the engine. Witnesses at the airport familiar with the pilot and the airplane stated that the pilot flew this abbreviated low altitude traffic pattern often.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Hirth F30 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRLD Richland WA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: KRLD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,008 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KRLD, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA08LA178.