- Date
- May 23, 2009, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ranger, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N42WTHolsclaw Francis E Starduster
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Landing gear collapse
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090523006689A
- Case key
- 73909
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 inability to maintain directional control due to the buckling of the right landing gear as a result of corrosion.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll from a grass/turf runway, the homebuilt bi-wing airplane made a sharp right turn. The pilot applied rudder and aileron controls, however the airplane drifted to the right side of the runway and one of the right wing tips impacted a mesquite tree. Moments later, the right wing tips impacted the ground and the airplane nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. Examination of the airplane's right landing gear leg revealed that it had buckled near the wheel, in an area that appeared to be corroded. The runway's surface was reportedly "rough.”
Factual narrative
During the take-off roll from a grass/turf runway, the homebuilt bi-wing airplane made a sharp right turn. The pilot applied rudder and ailerons controls; however, the airplane drifted to the right side of the runway and one of the right wing tips impacted a mesquite tree. Moments later, the right wing tips impacted the ground and the airplane nosed over and came to rest in the inverted position. Examination of the airplane's right landing gear leg revealed that it had buckled, near the wheel, in an area that appeared corroded. The runway's surface was reportedly "rough.”
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42WT
- Reported as
- Holsclaw Francis E Starduster
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 949
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-290 SERIES, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- KXBP · Bridgeport, TX
- Destination
- F23 · Ranger, TX
- Airport
- F23 · Ranger Municipal Airport, runway 01, 2,730 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 25, 2008
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 25,140 total · 80 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KBRD, 19 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 597 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.