20200519006859A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Rhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABY · Lee'S Summit, MO · May 19, 2020

Date: May 19, 2020 · 17:45 local
Place: Lee'S Summit, MO
Airport: Lee'S Summit Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N41LR
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN20CA184
Reported as: Rhoads Larry E Sopwith Baby
Reported engine: ROTEC R3600
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,186 total1 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N41LRRegistered now · Rhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABYS/N 001 · Built 2019 Airframe modelRhoads Larry E SOPWITH BABY Engine modelRotec R3600Reciprocating

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.

On may 19, 2020 at or around 1645 while attempting initial takeoff in N41LR, an experimental wwi replica aircraft, the pilot states he experienced a severe ground loop which resulted in damage to the aircraft. The pilot completed his takeoff checklist prior to the threshold of runway 36 at Lee'S Summit airport (lxt). Pilot made radio call on Lee'S Summit traffic frequency, cleard the approach to runway 36 and proceeded to line up on the centerline of the runway. Pilot positioned the stick well forwad and advanced the power while maintaining the nose down the runway. The tail came up and then the right wing started to come up and did not repsond to control inputs to go back down. Pilot claims to have pulled the power to abort the takeoff and failed to control the right swerve of the aircraft. The left wheel axle failed due to the side loading resulting in damage to the left wing and prop strike.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 19, 2020 AT OR AROUND 1645 WHILE ATTEMPTING INITIAL TAKEOFF IN N41LR, AN EXPERIMENTAL WWI REPLICA AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT STATES HE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE GROUND LOOP WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT COMPLETED HIS TAKEOFF CHECKLIST PRIOR TO THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 36 AT LEE'S SUMMIT AIRPORT (LXT). PILOT MADE RADIO CALL ON LEE'S SUMMIT TRAFFIC FREQUENCY, CLEARD THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 AND PROCEEDED TO LINE UP ON THE CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT POSITIONED THE STICK WELL FORWAD AND ADVANCED THE POWER WHILE MAINTAINING THE NOSE DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE TAIL CAME UP AND THEN THE RIGHT WING STARTED TO COME UP AND DID NOT REPSOND TO CONTROL INPUTS TO GO BACK DOWN. PILOT CLAIMS TO HAVE PULLED THE POWER TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND FAILED TO CONTROL THE RIGHT SWERVE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE LEFT WHEEL AXLE FAILED DUE TO THE SIDE LOADING RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND PROP STRIKE.

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 CEN20CA184Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportLee's Summit, MOThe airplane builder's improper installation of the lower right wing which resulted in an uncommanded left roll and the subsequent loss of control.May 19, 2020 · Substantial damage