- Date
- December 11, 2007, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elyria, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2699GSmith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 601
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Cleveland FSDO
- Case key
- 67345
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 momentary loss of control after takeoff, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a tree. A contributing factor was the presence of the tree.
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 pilot reported that he departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan into a low overcast cloud ceiling. He commented that he lost visual contact with the ground immediately upon liftoff. During the initial climb, the airplane momentarily entered a nose-down attitude. He subsequently corrected the nose down attitude. However, as the airplane began to climb again the right wing impacted a tree. This occurred approximately 1 mile from the airport and within 1 minute of takeoff. After the in-flight collision, he had "full function" of the airplane and elected to continue the planned 31-minute flight to the intended destination. He added that there were no anomalies related to flight control or engine operation during the flight. A post accident inspection revealed impact damage to the leading edge of the right wing, right engine nacelle, and right propeller spinner. In addition, the inspection revealed a 3-inch crack in the aft wing spar at the right main landing gear wheel well.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he departed on an instrument flight rules flight plan into a low overcast cloud ceiling. He commented that he lost visual contact with the ground immediately upon liftoff. During the initial climb, the airplane momentarily entered a nose-down attitude. He subsequently corrected the nose down attitude. However, as the airplane began to climb again the right wing impacted a tree. This occurred approximately 1 mile from the airport and within 1 minute of takeoff. After the in-flight collision, he had "full function" of the airplane and elected to continue the planned 31-minute flight to the intended destination. He added that there were no anomalies related to flight control or engine operation during the flight. A post accident inspection revealed impact damage to the leading edge of the right wing, right engine nacelle, and right propeller spinner. In addition, the inspection revealed a 3-inch crack in the aft wing spar at the right main landing gear wheel well.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2699G
- Reported as
- Smith, Ted Aerostar Aerostar 601
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61-0163-083
- Engines
- Continental IO-540-S1-A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental IO-540-S1-A5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 2007
- Departed
- LPR · Elyria, OH
- Destination
- PTK · Pontiac, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LPR · Lorain County Regional
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,411 total · 789 in this make and model · 2,314 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 1.25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LPR, 1 nm away