- Date
- April 5, 2012, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N75GXRemos Acft Gmbh Flugzeugbau Remos GX
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120405005859A
- Case key
- 83308
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 airplane control on takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and collision with terrain.
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 airplane suddenly veered to the left during the takeoff roll and that he was unable to maintain control, even with full opposite rudder and aileron inputs. The airplane became momentarily airborne before it nosed down and impacted a field adjacent to the runway. The student pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On April 5, 2012, at 1130 eastern daylight time, N75GX, a special light sport Remos GX, sustained substantial damage on takeoff from the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB), Ann Arbor, Michigan. The student pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Gemini Aviation LLC, Flat Rock, Michigan. A visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Adrian, Lenawee County Airport (ADG), Adrian, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the solo cross country flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. In a written statement, the student pilot stated that during the take off roll on runway 06, the airplane suddenly veered "hard" to the left. He was unable to correct the turn with full right rudder and aileron. The student pilot said, "...The airplane just jumped up into the air and when it went up it continued to go to the left and then it came straight down." The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the empennage, and the firewall. In addition, both the left main and nose landing gears had separated. The student pilot reported a total of 25.5 flight hours; all of which were in the accident airplane. He also said there were no pre-mishap mechanical failures. At 1135, weather reported at the airport was wind from 060 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 22 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,900 feet, temperature 6 degrees Celsius, dewpoint -2 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of Mercury.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75GX
- Reported as
- Remos Acft Gmbh Flugzeugbau Remos GX
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 277
- Airframe hours
- 492
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Gemini Aviation LLC
- Registered owner
- Gemini Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 15, 2011
- Departed
- ARB · Ann Arbor, MI
- Destination
- ADG · Adrian, MI
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ARB · Ann Arbor Municipal, runway 06, 3,505 × 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Student
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25 total · 25 in this make and model · 3 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 12 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- ARB
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 7, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.