What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 2, 2023, at approximately 0845 CST, a 2010 Skykits savannah; serial number: 08-11-51-788; registered as privacy data omitted, was substantially damaged while attempting to take off from marion county airport (kflp) in Flippin Arkansas. The pilot was uninjured.
FAA investigator in charge (iic) dispatched to the scene on June 3, 2023 and found the aircraft wreckage confined to a small area immediately adjacent to the taxiway to runway 22. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, he struggled to maintain directional control and the aircraft veered toward the left edge of the runway. The pilot attempted to abort the takeoff and reduced engine power to idle; however, the pilot continued to hold the aircraft in a nose high attitude and the aircraft became airborne. The aircraft flew over the taxiway and collided with terrain adjacent to the taxiway. The hard impact collapsed the main and nose gear and caused the right wingtip to strike the ground.
Left and right main landing gear was folded aft but still attached to the aircraft. Wheels and axles appeared straight and both were spun without impediment. Brake wear was symmetrical on both sides. Brake master cylinders appeared functional with adequate brake fluid. There were no leaks, visible damage, or observable air in lines. Both left and right tire appeared serviceable with some wear but not sufficient to cause directional stability issues. There were no observable obstructions to rudder pedals and rudder control continuity was established.
On-scene inspection did not reveal a mechanical probable cause of incident.
After speaking with the pilot, he stated he may have inadvertently kept his left foot on the rudder pedal and engaging the toe brakes while attempting takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 2, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 0845 CST, A 2010 SKYKITS SAVANNAH; SERIAL NUMBER: 08-11-51-788; REGISTERED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM MARION COUNTY AIRPORT (KFLP) IN FLIPPIN ARKANSAS. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.
FAA INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE (IIC) DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE ON JUNE 3, 2023 AND FOUND THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE CONFINED TO A SMALL AREA IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE TAXIWAY TO RUNWAY 22. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE STRUGGLED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TOWARD THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER TO IDLE; HOWEVER, THE PILOT CONTINUED TO HOLD THE AIRCRAFT IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW OVER THE TAXIWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE TAXIWAY. THE HARD IMPACT COLLAPSED THE MAIN AND NOSE GEAR AND CAUSED THE RIGHT WINGTIP TO STRIKE THE GROUND.
LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS FOLDED AFT BUT STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRCRAFT. WHEELS AND AXLES APPEARED STRAIGHT AND BOTH WERE SPUN WITHOUT IMPEDIMENT. BRAKE WEAR WAS SYMMETRICAL ON BOTH SIDES. BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS APPEARED FUNCTIONAL WITH ADEQUATE BRAKE FLUID. THERE WERE NO LEAKS, VISIBLE DAMAGE, OR OBSERVABLE AIR IN LINES. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT TIRE APPEARED SERVICEABLE WITH SOME WEAR BUT NOT SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY ISSUES. THERE WERE NO OBSERVABLE OBSTRUCTIONS TO RUDDER PEDALS AND RUDDER CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED.
ON-SCENE INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL A MECHANICAL PROBABLE CAUSE OF INCIDENT.
AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE PILOT, HE STATED HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY KEPT HIS LEFT FOOT ON THE RUDDER PEDAL AND ENGAGING THE TOE BRAKES WHILE ATTEMPTING TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.