# Accident 20240117000429A: Dennis Smith ECLIPSE 10, Yuma, AZ, January 17, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 17, 2024, 13:38 local time
- Place: Yuma, AZ
- Airport: Yuma Mcas / Yuma International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Departure Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.6526° N, 114.6105° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.6526&lon=-114.6105&mi=10
- Aircraft: N70WP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70WP-2025-05-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dennis Smith ECLIPSE 10 (registry code 05637KI, https://openairdocs.org/model/dennis-smith-eclipse-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914UL (registry code 55553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DENNIS SMITH ECLIPSE 10
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 17,736 total, 150 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA077) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240117000429A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ROTOCRAFT ECLIPSE 10, WHILE ATTEMPTING TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 17 ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. POB: 1, INJURIES: 1 MINOR, DAMAGE: SUBSTANTIAL.

THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO THE PILOT’S FAILURE TO ESTABLISH THE RECOMMENDED ROTOR RPM OF 220 RPM BEFORE RELEASING THE BRAKES AND INITIATING THE TAKEOFF ROLL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR24LA077](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA077), Jan 17, 2024: Dennis Smith Eclipse 10 (N70WP), Yuma, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to takeoff with low rotor RPM and his subsequent loss of control.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.