- Date
- June 11, 2012, 09:35 local (13:35 UTC)
- Place
- Indianapolis, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N902LAEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120611010509A
- Case key
- 83926
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 student pilot reported that the flight began as a dual instruction flight with his flight instructor. They performed 6 or 7 landings, which included simulated engine failures. The instructor then exited the airplane, and the student pilot performed two more takeoffs and landings to a full stop without incident. On the third solo takeoff, the left wing dipped and contacted the ground. The airplane then began to skid left, then off the runway to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot listed no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The student pilot reported that the flight began as a dual instruction flight with his flight instructor. They performed 6 or 7 landings, which included simulated engine failures. The instructor then exited the airplane and the student pilot performed 2 more takeoffs and landings to a full stop without incident. On the third solo takeoff the left wing dipped and contacted the ground. The airplane then began to skid to the left, off the runway to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The student pilot listed no mechanical failure or malfunction of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N902LA
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20070902
- Airframe hours
- 1,851
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 10, 2012
- Departed
- HFY · Indianapolis, IN
- Destination
- HFY · Indianapolis, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- HFY · Greenwood Municipal Airport, runway 19, 4,990 × 75 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 50 total · 33 in this make and model · 14 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- IND, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 MB 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.