What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 1, 2009 at 2048 CST, N3603R a Lancair 360 departed runway 12 at Joliet Regional Airport, Joliet, Illinois (kjot). privacy data omitted Was piloting the experimental aircraft from the left seat and one passenger was seated in the right seat. The following weather was reported at the time of departure: winds from 210 degrees at 8 knots, ceilings broken at 9000 feet, 10 statute miles of visibility, and temperature -1 degree c with a dew point of -4 degrees. Shortly after becoming airborne, N3603R veered to the left of the runway and impacted the surface with the left wing and then flipped onto its back and skidded approximately 150 feet toward the east. Fire immediately erupted upon the first impact. The weight and balance computations figured by this office indicate N3603R took off at approximately 1849 pounds with a center of gravity (CG) of 66.4 inches. According to the pilot operating handbook (POH), the maximum gross weight is 1800 lb., safety and performance becomes unacceptable since stall speeds are high." The POH further states, "note that as weight is increased, the CG moves aft, especially if heavy items are placed in the luggage compartments. The CG limits are based on pitch stability and control. As the CG moves aft pitch stability decreases. Beyond the aft limit, pitch control is unacceptable (slight stick inputs result in large pitch changes)." At approximately 1800 CST on January 1, 2009 is when N3603R had arrived at kjot. Another aircraft that had landed immediately after N3603R commented that after about one hour on the ground his aircraft's wings formed frost on the surface. It is unknown if N3603R took off with frost adhering to its wings, after being on the ground for approximately 3 hours.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 1, 2009 AT 2048 CST, N3603R A LANCAIR 360 DEPARTED RUNWAY 12 AT JOLIET REGIONAL AIRPORT, JOLIET, ILLINOIS (KJOT). ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS PILOTING THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT FROM THE LEFT SEAT AND ONE PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE FOLLOWING WEATHER WAS REPORTED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE: WINDS FROM 210 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS, CEILINGS BROKEN AT 9000 FEET, 10 STATUTE MILES OF VISIBILITY, AND TEMPERATURE -1 DEGREE C WITH A DEW POINT OF -4 DEGREES. SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE, N3603R VEERED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED THE SURFACE WITH THE LEFT WING AND THEN FLIPPED ONTO ITS BACK AND SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET TOWARD THE EAST. FIRE IMMEDIATELY ERUPTED UPON THE FIRST IMPACT. THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE COMPUTATIONS FIGURED BY THIS OFFICE INDICATE N3603R TOOK OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 1849 POUNDS WITH A CENTER OF GRAVITY (CG) OF 66.4 INCHES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH), THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT IS 1800 LB., SAFETY AND PERFORMANCE BECOMES UNACCEPTABLE SINCE STALL SPEEDS ARE HIGH." THE POH FURTHER STATES, "NOTE THAT AS WEIGHT IS INCREASED, THE CG MOVES AFT, ESPECIALLY IF HEAVY ITEMS ARE PLACED IN THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENTS. THE CG LIMITS ARE BASED ON PITCH STABILITY AND CONTROL. AS THE CG MOVES AFT PITCH STABILITY DECREASES. BEYOND THE AFT LIMIT, PITCH CONTROL IS UNACCEPTABLE (SLIGHT STICK INPUTS RESULT IN LARGE PITCH CHANGES)." AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 CST ON JANUARY 1, 2009 IS WHEN N3603R HAD ARRIVED AT KJOT. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT THAT HAD LANDED IMMEDIATELY AFTER N3603R COMMENTED THAT AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR ON THE GROUND HIS AIRCRAFT'S WINGS FORMED FROST ON THE SURFACE. IT IS UNKNOWN IF N3603R TOOK OFF WITH FROST ADHERING TO ITS WINGS, AFTER BEING ON THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 HOURS.
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 N3603R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.