- Date
- July 23, 2011, 14:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Poplar Grove, IL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2844KLuscombe 8
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20110723016659A
- Case key
- 81396
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 decision to not use all available runway length and his failure to abort the takeoff.
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
The pilot was attempting to perform a midfield takeoff with approximately 1,800 feet of runway remaining. During the departure, the airplane was unable to clear the trees at the departure end of the runway so the pilot executed a right turn to the north. As he made the turn, he realized that there were power lines so he performed an off-airport landing sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and the left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation and said the accident could have been prevented if he had used the entire runway.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he attempted a midfield takeoff with approximately 1,800 feet of runway remaining, but the airplane was unable to clear the trees at the departure end of the runway. The pilot executed a right turn to the north but was unable to clear power lines that were along the airplane's course so he performed an off airport landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the left side of the fuselage. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the pilot and passenger each weighed over 200 lbs and that it was a hot afternoon at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2844K
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5571
- Airframe hours
- 2,239
- Engine
- Continental, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 2010
- Departed
- C77 · Poplar Grove, IL
- Destination
- C77 · Poplar Grove, IL
- Airport
- C77 · Poplar Grove Airport, runway 30, 3,773 × 50 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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 80 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F
- Observed at
- RFD, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 16, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 451 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.