- Date
- September 11, 2024, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clarksdale, MS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N91ZSJust Highlander
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240911012839A
- Case key
- 195106
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 during takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions.
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 there was a large weather system in the area which resulted in gusting wind conditions. During takeoff roll in the tailwheel airplane, the tail lifted off the runway and the airplane accelerated. Before the airplane reached takeoff speed, the airplane yawed 30° left due to a gust of wind. The pilot stated that he remained in control of the airplane and continued the takeoff as he climbed to 6 to 8 ft above the ground. The wind gust ceased, and the airplane descended into a cotton field where it sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage and right wing. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. At the time of the accident the airplane was taking off on runway 18 with winds 090o at 15 kts with gusts to 20 kts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91ZS
- Reported as
- Just Highlander (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA391-07-14
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 786.3
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 2, 2024
- Destination
- MKO · Muskogee, OK
- Airport
- CKM · Fletcher Fld, runway 18, 5,404 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot
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
- 75
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 3, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,734 total · 706 in this make and model · 3,355 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 90 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KCKM
- METAR
- KCKM 112055Z AUTO 08011KT 10SM 32/32 A2990 RMK A01
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 20, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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.