What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 31, 2015 at approximately 15:40 local time (2040 UTC) a private pilot with sport pilot endorsement was involved in a fatal Aircraft accident while departing a private grass airstrip located approximately two miles northwest of Pleasanton, KS. Weather conditions at new century airport (kixd) located approximately 44 miles north/north-west of the accident site were reported as winds from southeast at 8 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 24 degrees celsius (2053 UTC). The pilot and passenger were fatally injured and the plane was destroyed.
According to a witness the flight departed to the north in visual meteorological conditions with a light northeasterly wind. The Aircraft involved in the accident was CH-601XL slsa/zodiac, owned by the airman.
According to the witnesses, the Aircraft appeared to rotate early in the takeoff roll for a soft field takeoff; however never reduced the angle of attack after lift-off. They saw the Aircraft continue in a nose high attitude, climbing approximately 50 feet above the ground. The Aircraft appeared to drift west of centerline toward the trees. Due to visual obstruction by the trees and a hangar, the witnesses could not see the impact of the Aircraft but heard the noise of impact.
The Aircraft appears to have settled tail first into the trees due to damage to the right wing on the leading edge. Then, evidence indicates that the Aircraft flipped over and impacted the ground approximately 45 degrees past vertical, inverted.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 31, 2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 15:40 LOCAL TIME (2040 UTC) A PRIVATE PILOT WITH SPORT PILOT ENDORSEMENT WAS INVOLVED IN A FATAL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT WHILE DEPARTING A PRIVATE GRASS AIRSTRIP LOCATED APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES NORTHWEST OF PLEASANTON, KS. WEATHER CONDITIONS AT NEW CENTURY AIRPORT (KIXD) LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 44 MILES NORTH/NORTH-WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE REPORTED AS WINDS FROM SOUTHEAST AT 8 KNOTS, CLEAR SKIES, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, TEMPERATURE 24 DEGREES CELSIUS (2053 UTC). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE PLANE WAS DESTROYED.
ACCORDING TO A WITNESS THE FLIGHT DEPARTED TO THE NORTH IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH A LIGHT NORTHEASTERLY WIND. THE AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS CH-601XL SLSA/ZODIAC, OWNED BY THE AIRMAN.
ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO ROTATE EARLY IN THE TAKEOFF ROLL FOR A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF; HOWEVER NEVER REDUCED THE ANGLE OF ATTACK AFTER LIFT-OFF. THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, CLIMBING APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO DRIFT WEST OF CENTERLINE TOWARD THE TREES. DUE TO VISUAL OBSTRUCTION BY THE TREES AND A HANGAR, THE WITNESSES COULD NOT SEE THE IMPACT OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT HEARD THE NOISE OF IMPACT.
THE AIRCRAFT APPEARS TO HAVE SETTLED TAIL FIRST INTO THE TREES DUE TO DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING ON THE LEADING EDGE. THEN, EVIDENCE INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLIPPED OVER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES PAST VERTICAL, INVERTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.