- Date
- November 30, 2005, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brainerd, MN
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4334ZLarson Aero Comp-6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Minneapolis, MN
- FAA report
- 20051130032239A
- Case key
- 62907
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/builder inadvertently reversed the aileron control systems during installation and failed to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff. A factor associated with the accident was the pilot/builder’s failure to perform an adequate aircraft preflight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control on takeoff. The pilot, who was also the airplane builder, reported that the takeoff was normal and at an altitude of about 20 feet above the runway, the left wing dropped slightly. He stated he attempted to compensate by using opposite aileron, however, the wing continued to drop until the airplane contacted the ground. The pilot stated the accident occurred during the first flight after he converted the aileron system from push-pull cables to a tube and bell crank system. The pilot reported he inadvertently reversed the left and right aileron control systems when he installed the conversion.
Factual narrative
The airplane collided with the terrain following a loss of control on takeoff. The pilot, who was also the airplane builder, reported that the takeoff was normal and at an altitude of about 20 feet above the runway, the left wing dropped slightly. He stated he attempted to compensate by using opposite aileron, however, the wing continued to drop until the airplane contacted the ground.
The pilot stated the accident occurred during the first flight after he converted the aileron system from push-pull cables to a tube and bell crank system. The pilot reported he inadvertently reversed the left and right aileron control systems when he installed the conversion.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4334Z
- Reported as
- Larson Aero Comp-6
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- AC6114
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Craig C. Larson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005
- Departed
- BRD · Brainerd, MN
- Destination
- Brainerd, 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
- 60
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 150 in this make and model · 3 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- BRD
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 N4334Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.