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20201213019349A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Flight Design CTSW · Marion, NC · December 13, 2020

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 13, 2020 · 10:30 local
Place
Marion, NC
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N138CT
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA21LA073
Reported as
Flight Design Ctsw
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
41 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days
N138CTRegistration cancelled Dec 31, 2022 · Flight Design CTSWS/N 07-09-25 · Built 2007Airframe modelFlight Design CTSWEngine modelRotax 912ULS series4 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.

On December 13, 2020, N138CT attempted to depart shiflet field (9A9) in Marion, NC. A preflight briefing and inspection were completed and the aircraft was taxied to the active runway for departure. No anomalies or issues were noted after the completion of the checklists. The pilot lined up on runway 10 and applied full power. All gauges were verified normal and ?airspeed alive? Was called out. A soft field take-off technique was used by holding nose back pressure for departure off the grass strip. The pilot stated that at about 46 KTS, the plane started to lift off the ground and simultaneously yawed to the right and then came back to the ground. Left rudder was applied but the aircraft did not respond. At that point the pilot reduced power and attempted to land straight ahead. When power was reduced, the aircraft yawed to the right and departed the grass strip into a deeper field. The nose gear got caught in a trench which collapsed it and caused the aircraft to flip over on its back. The aircraft was evacuated with only minor injuries to the pilot and passenger.

2/19/21 NTSB reviewed wreckage - no issues noted with the rudder system.

As the FAA filed it

ON DECEMBER 13, 2020, N138CT ATTEMPTED TO DEPART SHIFLET FIELD (9A9) IN MARION, NC. A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING AND INSPECTION WERE COMPLETED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO THE ACTIVE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE. NO ANOMALIES OR ISSUES WERE NOTED AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE CHECKLISTS. THE PILOT LINED UP ON RUNWAY 10 AND APPLIED FULL POWER. ALL GAUGES WERE VERIFIED NORMAL AND ?AIRSPEED ALIVE? WAS CALLED OUT. A SOFT FIELD TAKE-OFF TECHNIQUE WAS USED BY HOLDING NOSE BACK PRESSURE FOR DEPARTURE OFF THE GRASS STRIP. THE PILOT STATED THAT AT ABOUT 46 KTS, THE PLANE STARTED TO LIFT OFF THE GROUND AND SIMULTANEOUSLY YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND THEN CAME BACK TO THE GROUND. LEFT RUDDER WAS APPLIED BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD. WHEN POWER WAS REDUCED, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED TO THE RIGHT AND DEPARTED THE GRASS STRIP INTO A DEEPER FIELD. THE NOSE GEAR GOT CAUGHT IN A TRENCH WHICH COLLAPSED IT AND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER ON ITS BACK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EVACUATED WITH ONLY MINOR INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND PASSENGER.

2/19/21 NTSB REVIEWED WRECKAGE - NO ISSUES NOTED WITH THE RUDDER SYSTEM.

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 ERA21LA073Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportMarion, NCThe pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff, resulting in a rejected takeoff and runway excursion.Dec 13, 2020 · Substantial damage