- Date
- July 19, 2008, 13:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place
- Independence, IA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N95172Indy T-Bird II
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080719845999A
- Case key
- 68737
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 takeoff airspeed not attained and the aborted takeoff not performed by the pilot. An additional cause was the lack of familiarity with the airplane by the pilot.
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 performed several taxi tests, which seemed "normal." He then attempted a takeoff on runway 17 (4,000 feet by 100 feet, concrete) during which the airplane bounced once and impacted the terrain next to the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane did not have "pitch authority" and may not have had enough airspeed for takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage which included bent fuselage tubing and wing struts. The pilot received serious injuries.
Factual narrative
The pilot performed several taxi tests, which seemed "normal." He then attempted a takeoff on runway 17 (4,000 feet by 100 feet, concrete) during which the airplane bounced once and impacted the terrain next to the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane did not have "pitch authority" and may not have had enough airspeed for takeoff. The airplane sustained substantial damage which included bent fuselage tubing and wing struts. The pilot received serious injuries.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N95172
- Reported as
- Indy T-Bird II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3306597
- Engine
- Rotax 582, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Departed
- IIB · Independence, IA
- Destination
- IIB
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
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 866 total · 0 in this make and model · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.