What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) privacy data omitted taxied out from a "fly-in" on lake vermillion near Tower, MN, at approximately 1435 local. The approximate direction for multiple takeoff tracks was 250 degrees. Witness reports from pilots indicate N3937T lifted off and stayed in "ground effect" after lift-off until "approximately cruise speed". A climb was started and described as "pretty steep" and "something different than what I would expect or he would'nt be able to maintain, it's the kind of thing where you rise up a few hundred feet and your speed bleeds off." Also described in another report as "fairly steep angle of attach". The aircraft turned to the left and began what was described by pilot witnesses as a spin/stall, where the aircraft 1.5 to 3.5 spins straight down before impacting the ground. The engine was witnessed as running during the climb, spin, and prior to impact. An airworthiness inspector confirmed the prop turned freely in both directions (about 1/8TH turn each way before contacting the ground). A/w inspector also removed r/h magneto and the accessory gears appeared to turn the propeller movement. Also a/w inspector described "accessory case gears and r/h magneto gear appeared to have adequate lubrication.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TAXIED OUT FROM A "FLY-IN" ON LAKE VERMILLION NEAR TOWER, MN, AT APPROXIMATELY 1435 LOCAL. THE APPROXIMATE DIRECTION FOR MULTIPLE TAKEOFF TRACKS WAS 250 DEGREES. WITNESS REPORTS FROM PILOTS INDICATE N3937T LIFTED OFF AND STAYED IN "GROUND EFFECT" AFTER LIFT-OFF UNTIL "APPROXIMATELY CRUISE SPEED". A CLIMB WAS STARTED AND DESCRIBED AS "PRETTY STEEP" AND "SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I WOULD EXPECT OR HE WOULD'NT BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN, IT'S THE KIND OF THING WHERE YOU RISE UP A FEW HUNDRED FEET AND YOUR SPEED BLEEDS OFF." ALSO DESCRIBED IN ANOTHER REPORT AS "FAIRLY STEEP ANGLE OF ATTACH". THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT AND BEGAN WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BY PILOT WITNESSES AS A SPIN/STALL, WHERE THE AIRCRAFT 1.5 TO 3.5 SPINS STRAIGHT DOWN BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE ENGINE WAS WITNESSED AS RUNNING DURING THE CLIMB, SPIN, AND PRIOR TO IMPACT. AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR CONFIRMED THE PROP TURNED FREELY IN BOTH DIRECTIONS (ABOUT 1/8TH TURN EACH WAY BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND). A/W INSPECTOR ALSO REMOVED R/H MAGNETO AND THE ACCESSORY GEARS APPEARED TO TURN THE PROPELLER MOVEMENT. ALSO A/W INSPECTOR DESCRIBED "ACCESSORY CASE GEARS AND R/H MAGNETO GEAR APPEARED TO HAVE ADEQUATE LUBRICATION.
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 N3937T · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.