ATL02LA115

The pilot stated he encountered a downdraft on takeoff, attempted a forced landing, failed to maintain airspeed and crashed. Witnesses stated the airplane was observed in a steep climb, stalled, recovered, and stalled again disappearing behind the tree line. Review of weather data for the departure airport revealed no reported gusts or downdraft. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the collision. A review of the pilot's flight time information showed that he had recorded 97 total flight hours of which 1 hour was in the Team Z Max airplane.

On May 31, 2002, at 1243 central daylight time, a Frank Fitzgerald Team Z Max experimental airplane, N1995Z, registered to a private owner and operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed after takeoff from Moontown Airport in Huntsville, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated in Huntsville, Alabama, at 1235.

The pilot stated that he was practicing takeoff and landings. The pilot further stated that he was on his 4th takeoff when the flight encountered a downdraft. At this point the pilot decided to make a forced landing to a nearby field.

Two witnesses stated to the Madison County Sheriff's Department that they observed the airplane on takeoff. One witness stated, "after takeoff on a hot day (density altitude approx 3200 ft) the pilot climbed too steeply at too low an airspeed. He stalled on turning into the crosswind leg, he recovered from that stall and turned back then stalled again and disappeared behind tree line." The other witness who was located on the west end of the runway stated, "the airplane took off to the east. When the airplane got above the height of the tree line located on the north side of the field it appeared to have blown to the south. The pilot appeared to have increased his angle of attack to steep (nose up attitude) the plane was not climbing and on the verge of a stall. As the plane got further away it began to sink with a steep angle of attack, the aircraft stalled, and the right wing dropped, the nose fell down and the stall was recovered. The pilot then pulled the nose up again and stalled a second time. It looked as though the aircraft spiraled in behind a tree line."

Examination of the airplane revealed that the engine, engine mount, propeller, main landing gear, and both wings were damaged. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the collision. A review of the pilot's flight time information showed that he had recorded 97 total flight hours of which 1 hour was in the Team Z Max airplane.

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Moon town Airport, Huntsville, Alabama. The 1253 surface weather observation was: 4,100 scattered, visibility 10 miles, temperature 84-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 66-degrees Fahrenheit, wind variable at 4 knots, no reported downdraft or gusts, and altimeter 29.94.