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19980422013529A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Univar 415-D · Colstrip, MT · April 22, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 22, 1998 · 16:15 local
Place
Colstrip, MT
Airport
Colstrip Airport
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2777H
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA98LA066
Reported as
Univar 415D
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
127 total27 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days
N2777HRegistration cancelled Oct 31, 1998 · Ercoupe 415-DS/N 3402Airframe modelErcoupe 415-D

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Veered left on liftoff. Hit runway nose first. Veered right after tearing off nose gear. Exited runway into dirt. (.4)the pilot reported that on takeoff, immediately after becoming airborne, the airplane banked left and 'I fought for control.' The pilot reported the airplane then 'apparently veered to the north of the runway', then 'seemed to begin to climb [and] then we were down.' The airplane impacted the ground and came to rest about halfway down the runway, to the north (right side) of the runway. Based on aircraft, occupant and fuel weights reported by the pilot, the airplane was computed to be approximately 52.5 pounds (4%) above maximum gross weight at takeoff. Based on reported temperature of 72 degrees f and field elevation of 3,426 feet, density altitude was estimated at approximately 5,000 feet at the time. At this combination of pressure altitude and temperature, the airplane's Continental C75 engine is capable of producing approximately 65 brake horsepower (bhp), approximately 13% less than its sea-level rating of 75 bhp. (-23)PIC stated the following: on takeoff aircraft was rotated at 65-70 mph. Upon liftoff aircraft veered to the left, made contact with runway. Pilot tried to land aircraft but it veered right, nose wheel was broken off. Aircraft wheels were buried in dirt and aircraft came to rest on north side about mid field.

As the FAA filed it

VEERED LEFT ON LIFTOFF. HIT RUNWAY NOSE FIRST. VEERED RIGHT AFTER TEARING OFF NOSE GEAR. EXITED RUNWAY INTO DIRT. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON TAKEOFF, IMMEDIATELY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, THE AIRPLANE BANKED LEFT AND 'I FOUGHT FOR CONTROL.' THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPLANE THEN 'APPARENTLY VEERED TO THE NORTH OF THE RUNWAY', THEN 'SEEMED TO BEGIN TO CLIMB [AND] THEN WE WERE DOWN.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND AND CAME TO REST ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, TO THE NORTH (RIGHT SIDE) OF THE RUNWAY. BASED ON AIRCRAFT, OCCUPANT AND FUEL WEIGHTS REPORTED BY THE PILOT, THE AIRPLANE WAS COMPUTED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 52.5 POUNDS (4%) ABOVE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF. BASED ON REPORTED TEMPERATURE OF 72 DEGREES F AND FIELD ELEVATION OF 3,426 FEET, DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET AT THE TIME. AT THIS COMBINATION OF PRESSURE ALTITUDE AND TEMPERATURE, THE AIRPLANE'S CONTINENTAL C75 ENGINE IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING APPROXIMATELY 65 BRAKE HORSEPOWER (BHP), APPROXIMATELY 13% LESS THAN ITS SEA-LEVEL RATING OF 75 BHP. (-23)PIC STATED THE FOLLOWING: ON TAKEOFF AIRCRAFT WAS ROTATED AT 65-70 MPH. UPON LIFTOFF AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, MADE CONTACT WITH RUNWAY. PILOT TRIED TO LAND AIRCRAFT BUT IT VEERED RIGHT, NOSE WHEEL WAS BROKEN OFF. AIRCRAFT WHEELS WERE BURIED IN DIRT AND AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON NORTH SIDE ABOUT MID FIELD.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA98LA066Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColstrip, MTThe pilot's operation of the aircraft above maximum gross weight, resulting in her inability to attain a sustained climb rate after becoming airborne. A factor was high density altitude conditions.Apr 22, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2777H · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19920301014509IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Cascade, MTLost oil pressure in flight. Forced landing on highway. Wing hit sign on rollout.NR4 cylinder connecting rod failedMar 1, 1992