- Date
- June 7, 1992, 18:20 local (Jun 8, 1992, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Watkins, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N90541North American Harvard MK-II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920607018379A
- Case key
- 18212
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 pilot inadvertently stalling the airplane. Factors included: the pilot's failure to maintain directional control on takeoff, and inadequate airspeed.
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 said airplane 'feel' was normal as he taxied to runway 36. During the takeoff roll, as the airplane accelerated to 40 to 45 mph, it felt 'heavier than normal.' The left wing lifted and the airplane weathervaned to the right. Opposite rudder had no effect except to drop the left wing and the airplane felt 'lighter.' The airplane became airborne for a distance of approximately 375 feet and impacted a plowed field, shearing the wings from the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90541
- Reported as
- North American Harvard MK-II (HARVARD MK)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3771
- Airframe hours
- 5,800
- Engine
- P&W R-1340, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lenehan, James
- Registered owner
- Lenehan, James
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 19, 1992 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- FTG
- Destination
- 00V · Falcon, CO
- Airport
- FTG · Front Range, runway 36, 4,000 × 60 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 532 total · 128 in this make and model · 466 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 70 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.