# Accident 20251228019609A: Varga Aircraft Corp 2150A, Frostproof, FL, December 28, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 28, 2025, 16:45 local time
- Place: Frostproof, FL
- Airport: Lake Clinch Airpark
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7515° N, 81.5591° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7515&lon=-81.5591&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5062V, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5062V) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Varga 2150A (registry code 9350102, https://openairdocs.org/model/varga-2150a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: VARGA AIRCRAFT CORP 2150A
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 652 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA080) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251228019609A

## Narrative

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

PILOT HAD MADE A SUCCESSFUL FLIGHT WITH A PASSENGER.  UPON LANDING AND SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE, HE SWAPPED TO A DIFFERENT PASSENGER FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT.  ON TAKEOFF, HE REPORTED A YAWING MOTION TOWARDS THE PORT SIDE, WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT AND MAINTAIN RUNWAY HEADING, IT'S RESULTING PATH OF TRAVEL TOWARDS POWERLINES THAT RUN PARALLEL TO THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE RUNWAY.  SEEING A COLLISION HAZARD THE PILOT STATED THE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE AND LOWERED THE PITCH OF THE AIRCRAFT TO GO UNDER THE POWER LINES.  AT THIS TIME, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK A CHAINLINK FENCE THAT ALSO RUNS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY ON THE WESTERN EDGE.  AFTER MAKING INITIAL CONTACT, THE AIRCRAFT SPUN IN AN ANTI CLOCKWISE DIRECTION, MAKING CONTACT WITH A LARGE BUSH AND THE GROUND.  AFTER COMING TO A STOP, HE SMELLED FUEL SO, UNINJURED, HE AND HIS PASSENGER REMOVED THEMSELVES AND AWAY FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  AFTER TOWING IT TO HIS PRIVATE HANGAR AT THE AIRFIELD, HE CONTACTED NTSB.  UPON INVESTIGATION, THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED PROPER ANNUAL MAINTENANCE AND WAS WITHIN WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITS FOR THE FLIGHT.  DESPITE THE DAMAGE, AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CONTROL SURFACES FOR THE AILERONS WERE FUNCTIONAL, HOWEVER DUE TO SEVERE TAIL DAMAGE, WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE RUDDER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.  PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED NOR HEARD ANY INDICATIONS OF A LOSS OR REDUCTION IN POWER.  FUEL HAD BEEN DRAINED FROM BOTH TANKS, NO CONTAMINATION OBSERVED.  WEATHER WAS CALM, WITH NO GUSTS REPORTED.  AS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FLIGHTS WAS A CHANGE OF PASSENGERS, PILOT WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PASSENGER.  PASSENGER WAS REPORTED AS 5'10, APPROXIMATELY 240 LBS.  HE WAS BRIEFED BY THE PILOT TO NOT TOUCH ANY CONTROLS FROM THE REAR SEAT, HOWEVER THE ACTUAL POSITION OF HIS FEET COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.  BASED ON THE NARRATIVE GIVEN BY THE PILOT, AND INVESTIGATION BY INSPECTORS, A LEADING SCENARIO IS THAT THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL WAS BLOCKED BY THE POSITION OF THE PASSENGER; THAT HE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN INTENTIONALLY RESTING HIS FEET ON THE LEFT PEDAL, BUT HIS FOOT PLACEMENT ACTED AS A "BLOCK", PROHIBITING FULL RIGHT RUDDER APPLICATION BY THE PILOT.  THIS COULD EXPLAIN THE YAWING MOTION ON TAKEOFF, AS THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCIES ON TAKEOFF WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ENOUGH RUDDER CONTROL TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN A CORRECT PATH OF TRAVEL.  THE CONFIGURATION OF THE RUNWAY, SPECIFICALLY THE NARROW WIDTH COMBINED WITH HAZARDS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

## 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 ERA26LA080](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA080), Dec 28, 2025: Varga 2150A (N5062V), Frostproof, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with terrain.

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.

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