# Accident 19970502009789A: Amtr SA300, Lake Wales, FL, May 2, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 1997, 14:15 local time
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Airport: Lake Wales Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.8691° N, 81.6291° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8691&lon=-81.6291&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14525, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14525) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Thacker STARDUSTER TOO SA300 (registry code 8660220, https://openairdocs.org/model/thacker-starduster-too-sa300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (registry code 42338, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-b2c5) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR SA300
- Reported engine: LYC O540B2C5
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,000 total, 30 in this make and model, 150 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA157) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970502009789A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

RAN A WHEEL OFF RUNWAY ON TAKEOFF. ABORTED. TRIED RETURN ONTO RUNWAY. NOSED OVER. BELEIVE TAILWHEEL FAILED TO LOCK. (-23) DURING AN ABORTED 100 FOOT TAKEOFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 6, THE AIRCRAFT INADVERTENTLY DRIFTED TO THE RIGHT AS THE PILOT APPLIED ENGINE POWER.  THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL SUNK INTO THE DIRT PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY.  ATTEMPTING TO GETTING THE AIRCRAFT BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY BY USING LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.  AS A RESULT, THE AIRCRAFT'S TAIL SECTION WAS CRUSHED, THE UPPER WING SURFACE DAMAGED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS, AND PROPELLER BENT AND THE ENGINE/NOSE COWL AREA DAMAGED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA157](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA157), May 2, 1997: Thacker Starduster TOO SA300 (N14525), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the tail wheel to lock in the centered detent during the beginning of the takeoff roll, which resulted in the pilot being unable to maintain directional control and the aircraft drifting…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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