CHI96LA164

NTSB accident investigation · Schlitter Rans S6ES Coyote II · Hays, KS · May 18, 1996

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
May 18, 1996, 07:00 local (12:00 UTC)
Place
Hays, KS
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N4307NSchlitter Rans S6ES Coyote II
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Status
Completed · report September 3, 1996
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19960518010799A
Case key
10251

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

failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, when it settled back to the runway after lift-off. A factor relating to the accident was: premature raising of the flaps after lift-off.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Raising of flaps - prematurePilot in commandFactor
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in command
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectTakeoff
Object - wall/barricade

Analysis

The pilot reported that after taking off from runway 16, he partially retracted the wing flaps. After reducing the flaps, the airplane stalled, and settled back onto the runway. It then departed the runway to the east and impacted a concrete wall. The pilot did not report any airplane or engine malfunction.

Factual narrative

On May 18, 1996, at 0700 central daylight time (cdt), a experimental Rans S6ES Coyote II, N4307N, sustained substantial damage when it collided with a concrete wall along the east side of runway 16, during takeoff, from the Hays Airport, Hays, Kansas. The private pilot of the 14 CFR Part 91 flight, and the passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported on the NTSB form 6120.1/2, that the wing flaps were set at approximately 20 degrees for takeoff. After takeoff, the wing flaps were partially retracted by one notch. He reported that after retracting the flaps the airplane stalled, and settled back onto the runway. After settling back onto the runway the aircraft departed the runway to the east. The pilot did not report any airplane or engine malfunctions.

Aircraft damage was reported as a crushed firewall, a broken windshield, bent wing lift struts, and a bent right wing. The airplane's left wing spar was broken, and the left horizontal and left elevator were sheared off.

Aircraft

Registration
N4307N
Reported as
Schlitter Rans S6ES Coyote II (RANS S6ES)
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
0491183
Engine
Rotax 912, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Randy J Schlitter
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
HYS
Destination
MKC · Kansas City, MO
Airport
HYS · Hays, runway 16, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt

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
21
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
166 total · 59 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dawn
Wind
70° at 5 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 55 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
HYS

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.