20090810048189A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Pongracz Jo NIEUPORT 11 · Brasstown, NC · August 10, 2009

Date: August 10, 2009 · 10:30 local
Place: Brasstown, NC
Airport: Vic Payne Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N112PM
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA09LA454
Reported as: Pongracz Jo Nieuport 11
Reported engine: Volkswagen 1835 CC
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total13 in this make and model13 in the last 90 days

N112PMRegistration cancelled Nov 1, 2013 · Pongracz John M NIEUPORT 11S/N 012 · Built 2004 Airframe modelPongracz John M NIEUPORT 11 Engine modelVolkswagen CONVERSIONReciprocating

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.

Pilot elected to takeoff from a grass runway with knowledge of rising runway to the south with obstructions, mountain, trees, and powerlines. Witnesses noted that after takeoff the aircraft turned slightly to the right (westerly) and the nose pitched up and then went straight down. Engine was noted as running until impact. Aircraft came to rest approximately 1/10TH mile from south end of runway and a post fire resulted.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF FROM A GRASS RUNWAY WITH KNOWLEDGE OF RISING RUNWAY TO THE SOUTH WITH OBSTRUCTIONS, MOUNTAIN, TREES, AND POWERLINES. WITNESSES NOTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT TURNED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT (WESTERLY) AND THE NOSE PITCHED UP AND THEN WENT STRAIGHT DOWN. ENGINE WAS NOTED AS RUNNING UNTIL IMPACT. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1/10TH MILE FROM SOUTH END OF RUNWAY AND A POST FIRE RESULTED.

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 ERA09LA454Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportBrasstown, NCThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during climb after takeoff, resulting in an inadvertent stall.Aug 10, 2009 · Substantial damage