- Date
- October 27, 2012, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Beechgrove, IN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N97RPPorter James Grant Superior CUB
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA IND FSDO
- FAA report
- 20121027023989A
- Case key
- 85454
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 failure to maintain clearance from trees during takeoff from a short field.
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 reported that he planned to depart from a short grass field. To obtain more clearance from the trees at the end of the 700-foot strip, the pilot planned to turn just after takeoff. The pilot added that there was about a 10- to 20-degree right crosswind. During the takeoff, the airplane turned into the wind and the pilot was unable to correct that turn. The pilot attempted to climb through a small gap in the tree line; however, the airplane’s right wing collided with a tree and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he planned to depart from a small grass field. In order to give him more clearance from the trees at the end of the 700 foot strip, the pilot expected to perform a turn just after takeoff. The pilot added that he had about a 10 to 20 degree crosswind. During takeoff the airplane turned into the wind and the pilot was unable to correct the turn. In order to avoid the trees he attempted to climb through a small gap in the tree line. However, the airplane’s right wing collided with a tree and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. An Examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N97RP
- Reported as
- Porter James Grant Superior CUB
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- PR-18-1
- Airframe hours
- 490
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Milless Jeremy R
- Registered owner
- Milless Jeremy R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2012
- Departed
- 78I · Eminence, IN
- Destination
- Beechgrove, IN
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
- 35
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 295 total · 95 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- kind, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 373 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.
Other investigations on N97RP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.