# Accident 20130911018189A: Joseph Bender MUSTANG II, Smoketown, PA, September 11, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 11, 2013, 09:40 local time
- Place: Smoketown, PA
- Airport: Smoketown Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0414° N, 76.2019° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0414&lon=-76.2019&mi=10
- Aircraft: N691LB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N691LB-2018-01-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Joseph Bender MUSTANG II (registry code 056306J, https://openairdocs.org/model/joseph-bender-mustang-ii) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (registry code 41576, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-a1b6) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JOSEPH BENDER MUSTANG II
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-A1B6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 977 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13FA412](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA412) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130911018189A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT HAD JUST COMPLETED HIGH SPEED TAXI,  CONTROLLABILITY CHECKS, ON THAT DAY, IN PREPARATION FOR ITS FIRST TEST FLIGHT.

A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE DURING A HIGH SPEED TAXI ON RUNWAY 28,  THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO BECOME AIRBORNE. AS THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ON TAKEOFF ROLL, THE LEFT WING TIP DIPPED , AS IF IT STALLED. THE TAKEOFF WAS CONTINUED AS THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, WHILE STILL IN GROUND EFFECT. NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE  AIRCRAFT PROCEEDED

ACROSS THE GRASS AND ONTO THE TAXIWAY, WHERE THE PROPELLER BEGAN MAKING CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, SPINNING THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A HANGAR BUILDING LEFT  WING FIRST, AND BURST INTO FLAMES, RESULTING IN SEVERE BURN INJURIES. AN  IMMEADIATE RESCUE RESPONSE EXTINQUISED THE FIRE. A RESCUER ASKED THE PILOT IF HE WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF. HE SAID YES. HE ALSO ASKED IF HE HAD AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION.

THE PILOT RESPONDED NO.  COMMUNICATION WITH THE PILOT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE EXTENT OF HIS INJURIES. A FOLLOW UP PILOT INTERVIEW WITH COUNSELING IS PLANNED.

THE PILOT DIED FROM HIS INJURIES ON 11/23/2013. BLOCK 32 - CORRECTIVE ACTION - HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM COUNSELING TO NONE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA13FA412](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA412), Sep 11, 2013: Joseph Bender Mustang II (N691LB), Smoketown, PA, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot/owner/builder's failure to abort the takeoff and his subsequent failure to maintain airplane control. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's total lack of experience in the accident…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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