What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) After setting the airplane's elevator trim control wheel to the take-off setting, in the before take-off checklist, the pilot initiated a normal take-off on runway 29 at Sturgis muni airport. The airplane accelerated beyond the left nose wheel at 60 mph speed to 75-80 mph. Pilot reduced power to abort the takeoff and continued applying aft elevator control to become airborne. He then reapplied power and through mis-managing the flight controls, erratic flight occurred. He then reduced power again to land off the runway in a nose-low attitude resulting in the nose gear being torn off the airplane and the propeller striking the ground. The accident investigation revealed that the trim control system was faulty. When the trim control indicator was set to the takeoff position, the elevator trim was set to the full nose down position. The private pilot did not recognize the effect of the trim nor attempt to reset the trim during the takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AFTER SETTING THE AIRPLANE'S ELEVATOR TRIM CONTROL WHEEL TO THE TAKE-OFF SETTING, IN THE BEFORE TAKE-OFF CHECKLIST, THE PILOT INITIATED A NORMAL TAKE-OFF ON RUNWAY 29 AT STURGIS MUNI AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED BEYOND THE LEFT NOSE WHEEL AT 60 MPH SPEED TO 75-80 MPH. PILOT REDUCED POWER TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND CONTINUED APPLYING AFT ELEVATOR CONTROL TO BECOME AIRBORNE. HE THEN REAPPLIED POWER AND THROUGH MIS-MANAGING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ERRATIC FLIGHT OCCURRED. HE THEN REDUCED POWER AGAIN TO LAND OFF THE RUNWAY IN A NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE RESULTING IN THE NOSE GEAR BEING TORN OFF THE AIRPLANE AND THE PROPELLER STRIKING THE GROUND. THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TRIM CONTROL SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. WHEN THE TRIM CONTROL INDICATOR WAS SET TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION, THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS SET TO THE FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION. THE PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE EFFECT OF THE TRIM NOR ATTEMPT TO RESET THE TRIM DURING THE TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N13584 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.