- Date
- June 14, 2012, 08:50 local (14:50 UTC)
- Place
- Erie, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N617EVEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20120614009639A
- Case key
- 83977
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 improper performance of a soft field takeoff procedure, which resulted in a loss of airplane control, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to correct the situation.
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
After the student pilot rotated the airplane for a simulated soft field takeoff, it began to drift to the right side of the runway and was slow to gain airspeed. He lowered the nose in an attempt to increase airspeed, but the airplane continued to drift to the right. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and pulled back on the control yoke to climb in an attempt to clear a house adjacent to the runway. The right wing clipped the roof and the airplane descended, impacted the driveway, slid across the street, and struck a stop sign. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the instructor’s accident report, the student was making a soft field takeoff on runway 33 with 15 degrees flaps deployed. As the airplane was rotated, it began to drift to the right side of the runway and was slow to gain airspeed because it was in the takeoff configuration. The student pilot lowered the nose in an attempt to increase airspeed, but the airplane continued to drift to the right. The instructor took control, felt resistance in the control yoke, and called for full control. The instructor pulled back on the control yoke to climb in an attempt and clear a house adjacent to the runway. The right wing clipped a portion of the roof, impacted the driveway, and slid across the street, striking a stop sign at a road intersection. Postaccident examination of the airplane failed to show any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N617EV
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2007 1001
- Airframe hours
- 1,939
- Engine
- Bombardier-Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Sky Raider Aviation
- Registered owner
- Tag Air, Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 17, 2012 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- KEIK · Erie, CO
- Destination
- KEIK · Erie, CO
- Airport
- KEIK · Erie Municipal, runway 33, 4,700 × 80 ft, concrete
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private, Flight instructor, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 605 total · 56 in this make and model · 555 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 20 total · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KBJC
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 3, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.
Other investigations on N617EV · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.