20031030027829A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr VANS RV-4 · Liberty, NC · October 30, 2003

Date: October 30, 2003 · 15:00 local
Place: Liberty, NC
Airport: Causey Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N44NW
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL04LA030
Reported as: Amtr VANSRV4
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,480 total25 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N44NWRegistration cancelled Sep 30, 2013 · Thocker Jon S VANS RV-4S/N 599 Airframe modelThocker Jon S VANS RV-4

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) Rated pilot took off with the flaps extended. Takeoffs are to be made with the flaps up according to the POH. Witnesses reported the pilot rotated with a nosh high attitude and climbed to an altitude of approximately 50 feet. At this point the aircraft appeared to stall. The pilot stated the control stick appeared to be locked and he couldn't push it forward to lower the nose. He reduced power and the nose came down some. The aircraft drifted left of the runway, impacted the ground, slid approximately 300 feet and came to rest. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact. Post crash investigation revealed no problem with the controls. The flaps were still in the down position. The pilot could not remember if he checked the flaps prior to takeoff.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) RATED PILOT TOOK OFF WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED. TAKEOFFS ARE TO BE MADE WITH THE FLAPS UP ACCORDING TO THE POH. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT ROTATED WITH A NOSH HIGH ATTITUDE AND CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET. AT THIS POINT THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STALL. THE PILOT STATED THE CONTROL STICK APPEARED TO BE LOCKED AND HE COULDN'T PUSH IT FORWARD TO LOWER THE NOSE. HE REDUCED POWER AND THE NOSE CAME DOWN SOME. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTED THE GROUND, SLID APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AND CAME TO REST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PROBLEM WITH THE CONTROLS. THE FLAPS WERE STILL IN THE DOWN POSITION. THE PILOT COULD NOT REMEMBER IF HE CHECKED THE FLAPS PRIOR TO 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.

NTSB ATL04LA030Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLiberty, NCThe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed on initial takeoff climb resulting in an in-flight loss of control, inadvertent stall, and collision with the runway.Oct 30, 2003 · Substantial damage