At about 20:10 EDT, a homebuilt Kolb Mark III crashed into Shenango River Lake. The unlicensed pilot and passenger were killed. The airplane had been kept at Brookfield Airpark, and more than a year had passed since the last annual inspection. The owner had removed the certificate of registration and airworthiness from the airplane. The owner also reported that the key to the airplane and the helmets used by the pilot and passenger were stolen from a locked garage. Witnesses saw the airplane fly under a bridge and continue to operate as low as 6 feet off the water. While maneuvering between two bridges that were about 3,400 feet apart, the airplane pulled up into a vertical climb to about 300 feet, then continue into a loop. The airplane crashed nose-down into the water. FAA records showed neither occupant had ever held an airman certificate or medical certificate, but the airport manager at Brookfield reported that he had previously observed the person identified as the pilot flying in ultralights with other pilots.
July 4, Clark, Pa. / Kolb Mark III
At about 20:10 EDT, a homebuilt Kolb Mark III crashed into Shenango River Lake. The unlicensed pilot and passenger were killed. The airplane had been kept at Brookfield Airpark, and more than a year had passed since the last annual inspection. The owner had removed the certificate of registration and airworthiness from the airplane. The owner also reported that the key to the airplane and the helmets used by the pilot and passenger were stolen from a locked garage. Witnesses saw the airplane fly under a bridge and continue to operate as low as 6 feet off the water. While maneuvering between two bridges that were about 3,400 feet apart, the airplane pulled up into a vertical climb to about 30...
Key Takeaways:
- A homebuilt Kolb Mark III crashed into Shenango River Lake, killing its unlicensed pilot and passenger.
- The aircraft was overdue for inspection, had its registration and airworthiness certificates removed by the owner, who also reported the key and helmets stolen, suggesting an unauthorized flight.
- Witnesses observed the plane flying dangerously low, including under a bridge, before attempting a vertical climb into a loop maneuver that ended in a nose-down crash.
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