Official NTSB Report Has Yet To Be Released, However

While NTSB's official report remains a work in progress, officials from Sport-Jet builder, Excel-Jet, tell ANN that the NTSB's investigation has given them preliminary acknowledgement that, "The Sport-Jet aircraft had no mechanical failures."

In the absence of an official pronouncement, the official (and current) statement from NTSB remains, "This accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. Progress of the investigation can be obtained from Jennifer Kaiser who is the investigator in charge for this accident."

The NTSB's comments concerning the aircraft are significant, notes Bornhofen, President of Excel-Jet, Ltd., as the aircraft had 25 hours of 'virtually flawless flight testing' and had covered over 95% of the aircraft's stated performance envelope. "There has been a lot of speculation concerning the integrity of the aircraft and/or its systems and we can now move forward with confidence," Bornhofen observed.

"This was absolutely miserable luck," stated James Stewart, veteran test pilot and pilot-in-command of the accident aircraft.

"I never saw any flashing danger lights in the process of getting to the runway and taking off." But this experience has not dampened his enthusiasm for the Sport-Jet.

The Company say that they are convinced that the NTSB final report will cite the cause of the accident as wake turbulence. "A Dash 8 turboprop took off prior to the Sport-Jet and every indication suggests that we were a victim of wake turbulence. However, until the NTSB reviews the tower tapes and other information, they can not issue a final report," said Bornhofen. This conclusion is supported by Gary Czajkowski, Vice President of Aviation Claims for AirSure Limited, a veteran examiner of aircraft accidents, who stated, "My examination of the scene, inspection of the aircraft and further research all point to the distinct possibility of wake turbulence."

A study of accidents involving wake turbulence shows a high level of fatal accidents from general aviation to airline. In fact, 29 accidents on file all include fatalities.

Excel-Jet credits the Sport-Jet's carbon fiber roll-cage cabin for having provided sufficient protection in assuring that the pilot and mechanic passenger were not severely injured.

Stewart also noted that, "The Williams FJ33-4A-15 powerplant remained in place due to the structure and strength of the engine mounting system and the design of the intake duct system. Not one drop of fuel spilled from the aircraft so there was no fire. The aircraft structure absorbed much of the energy of the aircraft as it impacted the runway."

Launch order customer Bob Stanford of Zenith Aviation stated, "We remain committed to our launch order for the Sport-Jet as we believe even more strongly in its many attributes. The proven crashworthy cabin reinforces what initial testing has shown, that Sport-Jet offers high performance in a simple-to-fly aircraft with an unusually large and occupant-friendly cabin."

President Bob Bornhofen elaborated, "The Sport-Jet's unique cabin and other crush zones did exactly as designed in protecting the occupants. No parachute system or second engine could have offered better protection. This type of incident is probably the worst any pilot will face and the Sport-Jet's design has altered the traditional outcome." AirSure's Czajkowski also supports Bornhofen saying, "I was extremely impressed with how well the fuselage remained intact under the tremendous forces imposed upon it during this accident."

NTSB Preliminary Report

NTSB Identification: DEN06LA090
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Thursday, June 22, 2006 in Colorado Sprngs, CO
Aircraft: Bornhofen Sport-Jet, registration: N350SJ
Injuries: 2 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On June 22, 2006, at 0953 mountain daylight time, a Bornhofen Sport-Jet experimental turbojet airplane, N350SJ, operated by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain after takeoff from the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger sustained serious injures. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the COS air traffic control tower, the airplane departed runway 17 R (11,022 feet by 150 feet, asphalt), became airborn only momentarily, and then impacted the runway and surrounding terrain. Several witnesses reported that approximately 15 feet above ground level (agl), the airplane rolled hard to the left and began to "cartwheel" down the runway. The airplane came to rest 3,000 feet south of the runway threshold. Both landing gear assemblies separated, the left wing was crushed and bent aft at midspan, and the horizontal stabilizer was crushed.

FMI: www.sport-jet.com