What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 5, 2026, at approximately 1430 local time, privacy data omitted was on an instructional flight that attempted to perform a soft field take off on runway 27 at Campbell Airport (C81). As the airplane rotated, it began veering to the left. The instructor eventually took the controls from the student, but the plane continued left and eventually struck a line of trees parallel with the runway. There were no injuries but
Substantial damage to the aircraft was noted on the empennage from the second frame and skin joint aft of the rear fuselage window separating for the aircraft. Additional damage was noted on the right-wing leading edge, right aileron, left flap inboard trailing edge, engine cowling, and propeller.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 5, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 1430 LOCAL TIME, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THAT ATTEMPTED TO PERFORM A SOFT FIELD TAKE OFF ON RUNWAY 27 AT CAMPBELL AIRPORT (C81). AS THE AIRPLANE ROTATED, IT BEGAN VEERING TO THE LEFT. THE INSTRUCTOR EVENTUALLY TOOK THE CONTROLS FROM THE STUDENT, BUT THE PLANE CONTINUED LEFT AND EVENTUALLY STRUCK A LINE OF TREES PARALLEL WITH THE RUNWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES BUT
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOTED ON THE EMPENNAGE FROM THE SECOND FRAME AND SKIN JOINT AFT OF THE REAR FUSELAGE WINDOW SEPARATING FOR THE AIRCRAFT. ADDITIONAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED ON THE RIGHT-WING LEADING EDGE, RIGHT AILERON, LEFT FLAP INBOARD TRAILING EDGE, ENGINE COWLING, AND PROPELLER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.