20001201025359A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Aerofab LAKE 250 · Medina, WA · December 1, 2000

Date: December 1, 2000 · 11:15 local
Place: Medina, WA
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N8551Z
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA01LA022
Fatal injuries: 0

N8551ZRegistration cancelled Dec 12, 2017 · Aerofab LAKE 250S/N 130 Airframe modelAerofab LAKE 250

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.

(-23) Pilot was departing his home base on lake Washington. He began his takeoff to the west, planning a left step turn to the south into the wind. He had just begun the step turn when the a/c made a sudden stop for unknown reasons. Pilot was thrown to the right and his head struck the right door post. The engine pylon failed and the engine came to rest on the right wing. Wind was 3-5 knots.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS DEPARTING HIS HOME BASE ON LAKE WASHINGTON. HE BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF TO THE WEST, PLANNING A LEFT STEP TURN TO THE SOUTH INTO THE WIND. HE HAD JUST BEGUN THE STEP TURN WHEN THE A/C MADE A SUDDEN STOP FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. PILOT WAS THROWN TO THE RIGHT AND HIS HEAD STRUCK THE RIGHT DOOR POST. THE ENGINE PYLON FAILED AND THE ENGINE CAME TO REST ON THE RIGHT WING. WIND WAS 3-5 KNOTS.

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 SEA01LA022Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMercer Island, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a left turning step taxi to takeoff, resulting in a wing contacting the water during the step turn.Dec 1, 2000 · Substantial damage