- Date
- June 2, 2000, 13:05 local (19:05 UTC)
- Place
- Moab, UT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N34783Culver LFA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000602007789A
- Case key
- 49344
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
Overheating of the left brake, causing the wheel to lock. Factors were the pilot not being able to maintain directional control, a dirt berm, and a drainage ditch.
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 was taking off on runway 21. As he raised the tail for lift off (about 50 mph), the airplane 'abruptly swerved to left (90 degrees), [departed] the runway, crossed a dirt border about 6 feet wide, flipped on its back, and slid down to the bottom of a drainage ditch between the runway and the adjacent taxiway.' The pilot said the airplane was equipped with Goodyear 'expanded tube' brakes, known to lock up if overheated (brakes were used for landing and for taxi to takeoff). An airport mechanic attempted to turn the left main wheel by hand shortly after the accident, and found the wheel to be binding. The right wheel turned freely. Later, he tried again and the wheel turned freely.
Factual narrative
On June 2, 2000, at 1305 mountain daylight time, a Culver LFA, N34783, registered to A Pair of Jacks, Inc., was destroyed when it collided with terrain during takeoff at Canyonlands Field, Moab, Utah. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
In a telephone interview and in the accident report, the pilot said he had stopped at Moab for fuel, and was taking off on runway 21, en route to Canon City, Colorado. As he raised the tail for lift off (about 50 mph), the airplane "abruptly swerved to left (90 degrees), [departed] the runway, crossed a dirt border about 6 feet wide, flipped on its back, and slid down to the bottom of a drainage ditch between the runway and the adjacent taxiway."
The pilot said his airplane was equipped with Goodyear "expanded tube" brakes, known to lock up if they overheat (the pilot had used the brakes during landing and for taxi to takeoff). The airport mechanic attempted to turn the left main wheel by hand shortly after the accident, and found the wheel to be binding. The right wheel turned freely. Later, he tried again and the wheel turned freely.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N34783
- Reported as
- Culver LFA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engine
- unknown
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- Unknown
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- A Pair Of Jacks, Inc.
- Departed
- CNY
- Destination
- 1V6 · Canon City, CO
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
- Medical
- Unknown, Unknown
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 210° at 9 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Observed at
- CNY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.