- Date
- July 14, 2013, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Hector, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N855FUniversal Stinson 108-1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130714013399A
- Case key
- 87480
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 inadvertent application of the brakes and failure to main directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane nosing over.
Findings · 1
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
During the takeoff roll, at about 50 knots, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot stated that as the airplane drifted to the left, she inadvertently tapped on the right brake, and then released the brake while adding right ailerons inputs. Corrections were made to maneuver the airplane back to the runway centerline. The right wingtip was lowered and impacted the ground 2 or 3 times. She continued to apply inputs to the right rudder pedal. The airplane nosed-over and sustained substantial damage to both wing spars and the vertical stabilizer. The second pilot stated that he didn’t know why the airplane responded as it did and was unsure if there were any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. He estimated the wind to be from the left at 5 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. As the pilot was making continuous rudder pedal inputs, it is likely that she inadvertently applied the brakes.
Factual narrative
During the takeoff roll, at about 50 knots, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot stated that as the airplane drifted to the left, she inadvertently tapped on the right brake, and then released the brake while adding right ailerons inputs. Corrections were made to maneuver the airplane back to the runway centerline. The right wingtip was lowered and impacted the ground 2 or 3 times. She continued to apply inputs to the right rudder pedal. The airplane nosed-over and sustained substantial damage to both wing spars and the vertical stabilizer. The second pilot stated that he didn’t know why the airplane responded as it did and was unsure if there were any malfunctions with the airplane prior to the accident. He estimated the wind to be from the left at 5 knots. A postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N855F
- Reported as
- Universal Stinson 108-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-1519
- Airframe hours
- 2,232
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4150 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mark S Erickson
- Registered owner
- Mark S Erickson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 15, 2013
- Departed
- KFCM · Eden Praire, MN
- Destination
- 1D6 · Hector, MN
- Airport
- 1D6 · Hector Municipal Airport, runway 23, 2,580 × 165 ft, grass/turf
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 29, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 83 total · 0 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot
- Age
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 19, 2012
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 14,925 total · 127 in this make and model · 8,000 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KOVL, 14 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 917 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.