# Accident 20140622009709A: Christen Industries Inc A-1, Tampa, FL, June 22, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 22, 2014, 15:48 local time
- Place: Tampa, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.0139° N, 82.3450° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.0139&lon=-82.3450&mi=10
- Aircraft: N436C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N436C-2015-07-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Christen Industries A-1 (registry code 221020X, https://openairdocs.org/model/christen-industries-a-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-360-C1F (registry code 41573, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-360-c1f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CHRISTEN INDUSTRIES INC A-1
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-360-C1F
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14LA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA305) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140622009709A

## Narrative

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

I WATCHED THE VIDEO (TAKEN BY AN AIRPORT FBO EMPLOYEE) OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM THE GRASS PARALLEL TO RWY 23 AT VDF.  THE AIPPLANE REMAINED THREE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND FOR LESS THAN 100 FEET THEN IT BEGAN A 45 DEGREE BANKED TURN TO THE LEFT.  THE PLANE GOT TO 30-35 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND 80 DEGREES INTO THE TURN.  AT 180 DEGREES INTO THE TURN THE LEFT WING BEGAN TO DROP AND THE AIRPLANE LOST A FEW FEET OF ALTITUDE THEN THE LEFT WING DROPPED FASTER AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A NEARLY NOSE DOWN WHICH MADE IT STRIKE THE GROUND NOSE AND LEFT WING FIRST.  THE AIRPLANE WAS NOW ORIENTED 270 DEGREES HEADING FROM THE TAKEOFF POSITION.  THE PLANE THEN ROTATED 90 DEGREES MORE AND THE TAIL FELL DOWN TO THE GROUND.  THE AIRPLANE WAS NOW THE SAME HEADING AS THE TAKEOFF ROLL.  BYSTANDERS WERE TO THE AIRPLANE IN LESS THAN TWO MINUTES AND OBSERVED THE PILOT THROWN BACK AGAINST THE SEAT BACK WITH FAINT SIGNS OF LIFE.  BECAUSE OF THE LEAKING FUEL THEY REMOVED HIM FROM THE AIRPLANE, BUT IN LESS THAN SIX MINUTES EMS FOLKS PRONOUNCED HIM CODE 41.   HE WAS NOT WEARING ANY OF THE AIRPLANE'S FIVE POINT SEAT BELT SYSTEM.  THE ELT SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE REMOTE WIRE WAS NOT PLUGGED INTO THE ELT.  THE IGNITION KEY WAS BROKEN OFF AND IN THE BACK OF THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT.  THE MASTER AND OTHER SWITCHES UNDER THE SHOCK PANEL WERE ALL IN THE OFF POSITION.  THERE WAS NO FIRE IN SPITE OF THE APPROXIMATELY 25 GALLONS THAT RAN OUT ON THE GROUND.  THE ENGINE SOUNDED TO BE MAKING POWER EVEN AT THE TIME OF IMPACT.  FRAGMENTS OF THE WOOD AND COMPOSITE PROP WERE SCATTERED ALONG THE 60 FEET OF  SLIDING MOVEMENT AREA AFTER IMPACT.

## 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 ERA14LA305](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14LA305), Jun 22, 2014: Christen Industries A 1 (N436C), Tampa, FL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent into the ground.

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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