# Accident 20140816016929A: Day William L MINICOUPE, Middle River, MD, August 16, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 2014, 15:00 local time
- Place: Middle River, MD
- Airport: Martin State Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3219° N, 76.4081° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3219&lon=-76.4081&mi=10
- Aircraft: N853WD, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N853WD-2016-04-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Day William L MINICOUPE (registry code 05619FV, https://openairdocs.org/model/day-william-l-minicoupe) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Volkswagen CONVERSION (registry code 63501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/volkswagen-conversion) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DAY WILLIAM L MINICOUPE
- Reported engine: VOLKSWAGEN CONVERSION
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 363 total, 1 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA14CA408](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA408) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140816016929A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS GOING TO MAKE A FIRST FLIGHT SINCE HIS NOVEMBER 2013 NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. THE AIRCRAFT GOT ABOUT 3 FT IN THE AIR WHEN THE NOSE CAME DOWN AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY.  THE NOSE GEAR FORK FOLDED BACK AND HIT THE PROP AND COWLING. WE DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE NOSE FORK IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND HE SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING A FORK FROM ANOTHER SIMILAR AIRCRAFT AND REWORK IT TO FIT HIS AIRCRAFT. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THIS AIRCRAFT IS TOO NOSE HEAVY. I SUGGESTED HE CONTACT PAL BANNER TO DO A NEW WEIGHT AND BALANCE WITH CALIBRATED EQUIPMENT TO SEE IF THERE IS AN OUT BALANCE ISSUE. I TOLD ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THIS SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT IS FLOWN AGAIN AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DOCUMENTATION BEFORE HE FLY ANOTHER FLIGHT.

## 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 ERA14CA408](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA14CA408), Aug 16, 2014: Day William L Minicoupe (N853WD), Baltimore, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot/owner/builder's improper weight and balance calculations, which rendered the airplane uncontrollable in the pitch axis.

## Other reports on N853WD (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20151220022869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151220022869A), Dec 20, 2015: Day William L MINICOUPE (N853WD), Martinstate, MD, Substantial damage. Pilot stated on take off, he lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft ran off the left side of the runway. The aircraft sustained structural damage.

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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