- Date
- January 10, 2003, 13:05 local (18:05 UTC)
- Place
- Melbourne, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N235BWShaw Atlantica 235FG
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Avaition Admin --Orlando FSDO
- Case key
- 56345
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent liftoff and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, the purpose of the airplane operation was to complete high speed taxi maneuvers as part of the aircraft certification requirement. However, during the high speed taxi, the pilot raised the nose of the airplane and it became airborne. The airplane climbed with a high angle of attack to approximately 100 feet. The pilot then reduced the power to idle and lowered the airplane nose. The airplane collided with the ground as the pilot attempted to recover from the inadvertent flight. No mechanical failures were reported. Examination of the airplane revealed cracks in both wings and collapsed landing gear. Aircraft maintenance logs were not recovered for examination.
Factual narrative
On January 10, 2003, at 1305 eastern standard time, a Shaw Atlantica 235FG, N235BW, registered to and operated by a private owner, collided with the ground shortly after liftoff from runway 27R at Melbourne International Airport, in Melbourne, Florida. The inadvertent flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot received minor injuries. The airplane departed Melbourne, Florida, on January 10, 2003 at the approximate time of the accident.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the airplane operation was to complete high speed taxi maneuvers as part of the aircraft certification requirement. The pilot said there was no intention of flight. However, during the high speed taxi, the pilot raised the nose of the airplane and it became airborne. The airplane climbed with a high angle of attack to approximately 100 feet. The pilot then reduced the power to idle and lowered the airplane nose. The airplane collided with the ground as the pilot attempted to recover from the inadvertent flight. During the collision with the ground the ballistic recovery parachute was deployed, and the airplane was dragged 200 feet off the runway.
The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane. Examination of the airplane revealed cracks in both wings and collapsed landing gear. Aircraft maintenance logs were not recovered for examination
Aircraft
- Registration
- N235BW
- Reported as
- Shaw Atlantica 235FG
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Engine
- Lom M-337AR, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Allan G. Shaw
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · November 9, 2002 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- MLB · Melbourne, FL
- Destination
- Melbourne, FL
- Airport
- MLB · Melbourne International, runway 27R, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- MLB
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 4, 2004, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10 KB in all.