# Accident 19980214001249A: Amtr SONERAI2, Suffolk, VA, February 14, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 14, 1998, 11:05 local time - Place: Suffolk, VA - Airport: Suffolk Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.8810° N, 76.5509° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.8810&lon=-76.5509&mi=10 - Aircraft: N426AG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N426AG) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Goins Alan R SONERAI II LTS (registry code 05602QT, https://openairdocs.org/model/goins-alan-r-sonerai-ii-lts) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (registry code 63501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR SONERAI2 - Reported engine: AMTRVW VW1800VOLKS - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 302 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC98LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA122) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980214001249A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. LOST CONTROL ON CLIMBOUT ON FIRST TEST FLIGHT. STRUCK TREES 300 FEET OFF SIDE OF RUNWAY. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 14, 1998, ABOUT 1105 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A HOMEBUILT SONERAI II LTS, N426AG, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM THE SUFFOLK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THE ACCIDENT PLANE. DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 33, THE PILOT APPLIED "EXCESSIVE" RIGHT RUDDER, AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. TO CORRECT FOR THE TURN THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT AILERON. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 33, AND FELL TO THE GROUND. INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE, WAS A NON-CERTIFIED, GREAT PLAINS AIRCRAFT CONVERSION, VOLKSWAGEN ENGINE. A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE ENGINE SUPPLIER STATED THAT THE PROPELLER, TURNS IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE DIRECTION AS VIEWED FROM THE COCKPIT OF THE AIRPLANE, AND WOULD REQUIRE THE APPLICATION OF LEFT RUDDER TO COMPENSATE FOR TURNING TENDENCY'S. REVIEW OF FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (AC 61-23C), PILOT'S HANDBOOK OF AERONAUTICAL KNOWLEDGE, STATED IN PART; "...AN AIRPLANE PROPELLER SPINNING CLOCKWISE, AS SEEN FROM THE REAR, PRODUCES FORCES THAT TEND TO TWIST OR ROTATE THE AIRPLANE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THUS TURNING THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT...DURING TAKEOFFS AND CLIMBS, WHEN THE EFFECT OF TORQUE IS MOST PRONOUNCED, THE PILOT MUST APPLY SUFFICIENT RIGHT RUDDER PRESSURE TO COUNTERACT THE LEFT-TURNING TENDENCY AND MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT TAKEOFF PATH." THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL TIME OF 302 HOURS IN THE NTSB PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT. THE INVESTIGATION WAS UNABLE TO DOCUMENT ANY PREVIOUS FLIGHT TIME IN AIRPLANES WHERE THE PROPELLER ROTATED COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AS VIEWED FROM BEHIND. THE WINDS REPORTED FROM AN AIRFIELD 28 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE NORTHEAST, AT 1052 WERE, 080 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRPLANE. (-23) ON TAKE OFF FROM RUNWAY 33 AT SUFFOLK MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, VIRGINIA, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STRUCK A GROUP OF SMALL TREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED APPROXIMATELY 300 Y ARDS TO THE RIGHT OF RUNWAY 33. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT FOR THIS PILOT IN THIS AIRCRAFT. ## 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 NYC98LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA122), Feb 14, 1998: Goins Sonerai II LTS (N426AG), Suffolk, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the initial takeoff climb. Factors related to the accident were habit interference, the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.