- Date
- September 30, 1995, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Wellsville, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2706JHelio U-10D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 30, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950930030709A
- Case key
- 10045
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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Probable cause
The pilot's improper weather evaluation. A factor was the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions.
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 attempted a takeoff to the west with 900 feet of usable runway, with winds reported at 270 at 15 knots gusts to 25 knots. The airplane did not lift off and impacted a row of 15 foot tall spruce trees at the end of the turf runway. A weather reporting station, olathe, johnson county airport, stated winds of 15 knots, with gusts to 25 knots out of the west, 30 minutes after the accident. An FAA inspector reported strong, gusty, shifting winds throughout the area on the day of the accident. The pilot said he 'suspected windshear.'
Factual narrative
On September 30, 1995, at 1815 central daylight time, a Helio U- 10D, N2706J, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with trees and terrain, during initial takeoff climb from Pollock Airport, (900' x 200' dry/turf), Wellsville, Kansas. The pilot and one passenger reported no injuries. The local, personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file.
From the pilot's written statement, he said he was attempting a takeoff to the west in a 15 to 20 knot headwind condition. The airplane did not liftoff and impacted the 15 foot spruce trees at the end of the runway. The pilot stated, "...suspected wind shear... ."
An Federal Aviation Administration Inspector reported 15 to 25 knot shifting wind conditions reported all around the outlying area that day.
A reporting weather observation station located at Olathe, Johnson County Airport, located 12 miles southwest of the accident site, reported winds out of 270 degrees at 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots, 30 minutes after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2706J
- Reported as
- Helio U-10D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 66-14361
- Airframe hours
- 2,893
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-G1D6, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Pollock, John E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 14, 1995 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- 4KS1
- Airport
- 4KS1 · Pollock Airport, runway 27, 900 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,128 total · 130 in this make and model · 1,013 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- IXD, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.