Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT accident near Curtis, Washington, July 24, 1998
On July 24, 1998 at about 8:15 pm local time, a amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT, registered N21SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Curtis, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of control for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1998 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Curtis, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built STEEN SKYBOLT STEEN SKYB
- Registration
- N21SP · no longer on the register · serial P3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who owned the airplane and was an experienced aerobatic pilot, stated that he had taken off, accelerated along the runway, then pitched up to about 30 degrees and had climbed out to about 500 feet above ground level. He then pitched over to level to accelerate and initiated a turn to the right, with the intent of climbing out to an aerobatic practice box. He stated that when he pitched over, he felt negative 'G' loading, and the airplane appeared to perform a portion of an outside snap roll, with the right wing dropping and nose going down violently. The airplane then pointed down very steeply about 90 degrees off heading to the right. He stated that an attempt was made to pull out, but the airplane was in a high speed stalled condition, so he pushed the throttle full open and pushed the nose straight down to relieve the stalled condition and again attempted a recovery. This time, the airplane was not stalled and he was able to initiate a pull out. During the recovery attempt, the airplane impacted a road, slightly tail low, and the propeller struck the ground, leaving several prop strikes in the asphalt. The airplane bounced off the road at a 45 degree angle, then impacted a power pole. The pilot noted at the G meter was pegged at +13 G and -5 G. No preexisting mechanical anomalies that could have resulted in loss of control were found by FAA inspectors who inspected the wreckage.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,307 hours in all; 225 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 2,135 as pilot in command; 337 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 880 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1998; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,965 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540J4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0WA2 Curtis WA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N21SP 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.