NTSB Factual Report

On October 11, 2002, at 1540 eastern standard time, an amateur-built Davis Early Bird Jenny, N1918N, piloted by an airline transport pilot, sustained substantial damage during an in-flight collision with water near Scottsburg, Indiana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at 1538 from Scottsburg Airport and was on crosswind at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot's written statement, the accident flight was the first flight since being certified as an experimental homebuilt. The pilot reported he departed to the north and climbed through 200 feet above ground level (agl) prior to turning crosswind. The pilot stated that during the turn he "noticed the controls getting mushy. Another glance at the airspeed indicator now showed 30 mph! I instantly pushed the stick forward and applied right aileron to level the wings. Simultaneously the left wing dropped and the nose yawed left. The aircraft continued a little more than 360[degrees] left turn before the application of right rudder and increasing speed stopped it. I had just [enough] time to raise the nose from [approximately] 60[degrees] nose down to a 15-20[degree] nose low attitude before I impacted the water slightly left wing low."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot not maintaining aircraft control. Factors to the accident included the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin at a low altitude.