20200711004819A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Gillespie/Sears Q-2 · Preston, ID · July 11, 2020

Date: July 11, 2020 · 14:26 local
Place: Preston, ID
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N85BJ
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20CA221
Reported as: Gillespie/Sears Q-2
Reported engine: Revmaster 2100
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 163 total7 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N85BJRegistered now · Gillespie/Sears Q-2S/N 2438 Airframe modelGillespie/Sears Q-2 Engine modelRevmaster 2100Reciprocating

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.

The pilot was flying from ann arbor Michigan with his newly purchased aircraft. His only training in the Q2 aircraft was taxiing at low and high speed. He was unable to obtain further training prior to departing. The pilot was running low on fuel due to a slower ground speed than expected. He elected to divert to the Preston, Idaho airport (U10) to obtain fuel. Due to the lack of performance calculation data for experimental aircraft, the pilot estimated the take-off distance based on experience at the ann arbor Michigan airport, and making what he believed was sufficient adjustments for the airport at a higher altitude and temperature. With a density of approximately 8,400 feet with 94 degrees and an elevation of 4,728 feet MSL. The aircraft did not have sufficient power for the conditions. The aircraft departed the runway and was unable to climb. He crashed approximately ¼ mile off the end of the runway destroying the aircraft and received minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS FLYING FROM ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN WITH HIS NEWLY PURCHASED AIRCRAFT. HIS ONLY TRAINING IN THE Q2 AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIING AT LOW AND HIGH SPEED. HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN FURTHER TRAINING PRIOR TO DEPARTING. THE PILOT WAS RUNNING LOW ON FUEL DUE TO A SLOWER GROUND SPEED THAN EXPECTED. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT TO THE PRESTON, IDAHO AIRPORT (U10) TO OBTAIN FUEL. DUE TO THE LACK OF PERFORMANCE CALCULATION DATA FOR EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE TAKE-OFF DISTANCE BASED ON EXPERIENCE AT THE ANN ARBOR MICHIGAN AIRPORT, AND MAKING WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS SUFFICIENT ADJUSTMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE AND TEMPERATURE. WITH A DENSITY OF APPROXIMATELY 8,400 FEET WITH 94 DEGREES AND AN ELEVATION OF 4,728 FEET MSL. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT POWER FOR THE CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB. HE CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

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 WPR20CA221Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · Data collectionFinal reportPreston, IDThe pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to accomplish performance calculations for the atmospheric…Jul 11, 2020 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N85BJ · 1

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

Incident 19980426017859IForced/Precautionary Landing · Twin Falls, IDEngine failed. Made emergency landing in field. A clogged oil passage resulted in main bearing failure.Apr 26, 1998