20200926017949A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · New Smyrna, FL · September 26, 2020

Date: September 26, 2020 · 09:45 local
Place: New Smyrna, FL
Airport: Massey Ranch Airpark
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N89476
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA20LA334
Reported as: Cessna 140
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 729 total402 in this make and model81 in the last 90 days

N89476Registered now · Cessna 140S/N 8507 · Built 1946 Airframe modelCessna 140 Engine modelContinental C85 seriesReciprocating

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 September 26, 2020 pilot attempted a takeoff from the grass along side runway 36 at Massey Ranch Airpark (KX50) in N89476, a CE-140. The takeoff attempt resulted in an accident.

Before beginning the takeoff roll the pilot taxied back and decided that the ground for the takeoff was solid and acceptable for the takeoff.

During the takeoff roll the aircraft's left main tire hit an area of water that the pilot could not see seated at the controls in . This caused the pilot to loose control of the aircraft. The aircraft veered to the left and went through a fence that ran parallel to the runway. The aircraft's right wing hit a tree as the aircraft came to rest in a shallow area of water.

Primary cause of accident was the loss of control during takeoff roll.

The damage to the outer portion of right wing and to the right aileron was substantial. There was minor damage to the propeller, right horizontal stabilizer and landing gear.

The pilot was the only occupant and was not injured.

As the FAA filed it

ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF FROM THE GRASS ALONG SIDE RUNWAY 36 AT MASSEY RANCH AIRPARK (KX50) IN N89476, A CE-140. THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

BEFORE BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT TAXIED BACK AND DECIDED THAT THE GROUND FOR THE TAKEOFF WAS SOLID AND ACCEPTABLE FOR THE TAKEOFF.

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT MAIN TIRE HIT AN AREA OF WATER THAT THE PILOT COULD NOT SEE SEATED AT THE CONTROLS IN . THIS CAUSED THE PILOT TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND WENT THROUGH A FENCE THAT RAN PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING HIT A TREE AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A SHALLOW AREA OF WATER.

PRIMARY CAUSE OF ACCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF ROLL.

THE DAMAGE TO THE OUTER PORTION OF RIGHT WING AND TO THE RIGHT AILERON WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND LANDING GEAR.

THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT AND WAS NOT INJURED.

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 ERA20LA334Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportNew Smyrna Beach, FLThe pilot’s decision to depart from a non-suitable surface, which resulted in a loss of directional control during takeoff roll.Sep 26, 2020 · Substantial damage