What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The two place tandem tricycle gear experimental airplane crashed during a second take-off abort on rwy 16 @ T35 airport, Cameron, Texas. Both pilots reported aircraft came airborne early, even with full forward stick and only partial power. Both pilots said the aircraft was very tail heavy. The nose gear and right main gear broke off during the crash and there was substantial damage to aircraft forward firewall, substantial damage to the composite propeller and sudden stoppage damage to the engine, but there were no injuries and no fire. A post-accident weight and balance calculation shows that the aircraft was 38 pounds over the maximum weight limitation of 1,125 pounds. The maximum recommended CG limits for this experimental airplane was 13.5 inches forward CG, and 21.0 inches aft CG. However, the post-accident calculation showed the airplane's actual CG was at 27.3 inches, which was more than 6 inches aft of the recommended maximum aft CG limit. The 1,138 hour flight instructor said he did not take over when "things started going bad" because the student, a 190 hour -usua ultralight pilot, had more experience in this aicraft than the flight instructor. (Tach 1411.5 -acft tt 409.3)
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE TWO PLACE TANDEM TRICYCLE GEAR EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE CRASHED DURING A SECOND TAKE-OFF ABORT ON RWY 16 @ T35 AIRPORT, CAMERON, TEXAS. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED AIRCRAFT CAME AIRBORNE EARLY, EVEN WITH FULL FORWARD STICK AND ONLY PARTIAL POWER. BOTH PILOTS SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY TAIL HEAVY. THE NOSE GEAR AND RIGHT MAIN GEAR BROKE OFF DURING THE CRASH AND THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT FORWARD FIREWALL, SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE COMPOSITE PROPELLER AND SUDDEN STOPPAGE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, BUT THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO FIRE. A POST-ACCIDENT WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATION SHOWS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 38 POUNDS OVER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT LIMITATION OF 1,125 POUNDS. THE MAXIMUM RECOMMENDED CG LIMITS FOR THIS EXPERIMENTAL AIRPLANE WAS 13.5 INCHES FORWARD CG, AND 21.0 INCHES AFT CG. HOWEVER, THE POST-ACCIDENT CALCULATION SHOWED THE AIRPLANE'S ACTUAL CG WAS AT 27.3 INCHES, WHICH WAS MORE THAN 6 INCHES AFT OF THE RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM AFT CG LIMIT. THE 1,138 HOUR FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SAID HE DID NOT TAKE OVER WHEN "THINGS STARTED GOING BAD" BECAUSE THE STUDENT, A 190 HOUR -USUA ULTRALIGHT PILOT, HAD MORE EXPERIENCE IN THIS AICRAFT THAN THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. (TACH 1411.5 -ACFT TT 409.3)
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 N3129 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.