- Date
- July 13, 2014, 16:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Dodgeville, MI
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N792MCMckenzie Douglas E Stol CH750
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140713012359A
- Case key
- 89673
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 control of the airplane during takeoff resulting in an impact with a tree and terrain.
Findings · 4
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 was performing a normal takeoff in the short take-off and landing (STOL) airplane on a short narrow grass runway. After the airplane became airborne about midfield it encountered unexpected crosswind turbulence near the edge of a tree line. The airplane drifted to the side, contacted the top of a tree, entered an aerodynamic stall, impacted terrain and came to rest on its nose resulting in substantial damage to the engine mount, forward fuselage, both wings, and both flaperons. The pilot credited the shoulder harness installation with saving him from more serious injury. The pilot also reported that there was no preimpact malfunction or failure.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was performing a normal takeoff in the short take-off and landing (STOL) airplane on a short narrow grass runway. After the airplane became airborne about midfield it encountered unexpected crosswind turbulence near the edge of a tree line. The airplane drifted to the side, contacted the top of a tree, entered an aerodynamic stall, impacted terrain and came to rest on its nose resulting in substantial damage to the engine mount, forward fuselage, both wings, and both flaperons. The pilot credited the shoulder harness installation with saving him from more serious injury. The pilot also reported that there was no preimpact malfunction or failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N792MC
- Reported as
- Mckenzie Douglas E Stol CH750
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 75-8144
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 93
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · October 4, 2013 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- CMX · Houghton, MI
- Destination
- NONE · Dodgeville, MI
- Airport
- NONE · McKenzie Highland Stables, runway 10, 800 × 50 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 13, 2013
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,090 total · 94 in this make and model · 2,057 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 17 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- KCMX, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 9, 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.