- Date
- March 8, 2014, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Garrison, MN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N981HTOlson Kenneth H T Zodiac 601 HDS
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Minneapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140308001889A
- Case key
- 88903
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 directional control during takeoff which resulted in the airplane striking a snow bank.
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 while taking off from a frozen lake, the airplane veered to the left. He stated that at the point of rotation, the left wing struck a snow bank which spun the airplane in a counter-clockwise direction. The airplane's nose wheel then struck the snow bank and the airplane nosed over. He reported no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while taking off from a frozen lake, the airplane veered to the left. He stated that at the point of rotation, the left wing struck a snow bank which spun the airplane in a counter-clockwise direction. The airplane's nose wheel then struck the snow bank and the airplane nosed over. He reported no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N981HT
- Reported as
- Olson Kenneth H T Zodiac 601 HDS (HDS)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6-4015
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 137
- Engine
- Continantal O-200C, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 2, 2014
- Departed
- Garrison, MN
- Destination
- STC · St Cloud, MN
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- July 31, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 290 total · 109 in this make and model · 187 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 21 °F, dew point 9 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- brd, 13 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 12, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 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.