- Date
- July 23, 2008, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Washington, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N92FWHowell FW2C80TR
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 68706
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 low airspeed and proper climb rate not attained by the pilot during takeoff and the inadvertent stall by the pilot.
Findings · 1
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 airplane departed from runway 18 (4,000 feet by 75 feet, concrete) for a local flight. During takeoff, about 30 feet above the ground, the airplane yawed to the right and into a cornfield, damaging the left wing. The pilot stated that the airplane may have stalled. The pilot was uninjured and the passenger received minor injuries. The pilot, who "normally" flies solo, stated that the aircraft was too heavy and that he should have lifted off with a higher ground speed.
Factual narrative
The airplane departed from runway 18 (4,000 feet by 75 feet, concrete) for a local flight. About 30 feet above the ground during the takeoff, the airplane yawed to the right and into a cornfield, damaging the left wing. The pilot stated that the airplane may have stalled. The pilot was uninjured and the passenger received minor injuries. The pilot, who "normally" flies solo, stated that the takeoff was too heavy and that he should have lifted off with a higher ground speed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92FW
- Reported as
- Howell FW2C80TR
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- FW2C80TR0116191
- Engine
- Rotax 912 UL, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pilot
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- AMG · Washington, IA
- Destination
- AWG · Washington, IA
- Airport
- AWG · Washington Muni, runway 18
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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 327 total · 16 in this make and model · 18 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day