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20171217024299A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Golden Circle Air T-BIRD II · Wiscasset, ME · December 17, 2017

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 17, 2017 · 15:30 local
Place
Wiscasset, ME
Airport
Wiscasset
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N5619Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBGAA18CA105
Reported as
Golden Circle Air T-BIRD II
Reported engine
ROTAX 582DCDI
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,180 total125 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days
N5619ZRegistration cancelled May 4, 2019 · Golden Circle Air T-BIRD IIS/N 001 · Built 1996Airframe modelGolden Circle Air T-BIRD IIEngine modelRotax 582DCDI2 cycle

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.

At Wiscasset municipal airport (iwi), Wiscasset Maine on 12-17-2017 at about 2:40PM, N5619Z with just the pilot on board was taking off. The pilot stated that on his taxi to the runway and after he was on the runway for take off, that both wind socks were limp and had little to no movement. When the pilot exceleratted down the runway and the tail lifted off the ground, the aircraft started to weathercock to the left slightly. As he continued to add power and the main wheels lifted off, the aircraft weathercocked further to the left at almost a 90 degree angle to the runway. The pilot corrected with both rudder and aileron inputs, but did not seem to be enough to overcome what appeared to be a strong wind gust. Due to a line of trees close to the runway on the leftside, the pilot felt that he may not be able to powerout of this. He made the decission to set the aircraft back on the runway. Shortly after the aircraft touched down the left wheel cought a snowbank and pulled the aircraft off the runway and it spun in the snow off the leftside of the runway.

As the FAA filed it

AT WISCASSET MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (IWI), WISCASSET MAINE ON 12-17-2017 AT ABOUT 2:40PM, N5619Z WITH JUST THE PILOT ON BOARD WAS TAKING OFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON HIS TAXI TO THE RUNWAY AND AFTER HE WAS ON THE RUNWAY FOR TAKE OFF, THAT BOTH WIND SOCKS WERE LIMP AND HAD LITTLE TO NO MOVEMENT. WHEN THE PILOT EXCELERATTED DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THE TAIL LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO WEATHERCOCK TO THE LEFT SLIGHTLY. AS HE CONTINUED TO ADD POWER AND THE MAIN WHEELS LIFTED OFF, THE AIRCRAFT WEATHERCOCKED FURTHER TO THE LEFT AT ALMOST A 90 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT CORRECTED WITH BOTH RUDDER AND AILERON INPUTS, BUT DID NOT SEEM TO BE ENOUGH TO OVERCOME WHAT APPEARED TO BE A STRONG WIND GUST. DUE TO A LINE OF TREES CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY ON THE LEFTSIDE, THE PILOT FELT THAT HE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO POWEROUT OF THIS. HE MADE THE DECISSION TO SET THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE RUNWAY. SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE LEFT WHEEL COUGHT A SNOWBANK AND PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY AND IT SPUN IN THE SNOW OFF THE LEFTSIDE OF THE RUNWAY.

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 GAA18CA105Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWiscassett, METhe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.Dec 17, 2017 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5619Z · 1

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

Incident 20120728015389ILanding: Touchdown · Wiscasset, MEPilot was conducting a series of takoffs and landings. Whitnesses said all takeoffs and landings appeard normal. On the fourth landing the pilot made that day, the right main landing gear broke off.Jul 28, 2012 · Minor damage