- Date
- May 31, 1999, 09:16 local (15:16 UTC)
- Place
- Delta, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N99PCCrozier Emeraude
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990531040549A
- Case key
- 46458
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's failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the gusty tailwind and crosswinds reported, and the pilot's total lack of aeronautical experience.
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 student pilot had flown from Delta, Colorado's, Blake Field to Delta's Hawkins Field, where he met his instructor. After making five takeoffs and landings, the instructor disembarked and the student pilot took off to return to Blake Field. He said the wind 'was crossfield at about 5 mph.' When he raised the tail to lift off, the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder, but this did not correct the excursion. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The instructor, who witnessed the accident, said it appeared that a tailwind gust had raised the tail. The student pilot had logged 43.7 hours total time in airplanes, of which 20.6 were in the Emeraude, and 12.6 hours total pilot-in-command time, of which 8.8 hours were in the Emeraude.
Factual narrative
On May 31, 1999, approximately 0916 mountain daylight time, a Crozier Emeraude, N99PC, was substantially damaged during takeoff at Delta, Colorado. The student pilot and sole occupant aboard was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR part 91.
According to his accident report, the student pilot had flown from Delta's Blake Field to Delta's Hawkins Field, where he met his instructor. After making five takeoffs and landings, the instructor disembarked and the student pilot took off to return to Blake Field. He said the wind "was crossfield at about 5 mph." When he raised the tail to lift off, the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder, but this did not correct the excursion. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The instructor, who witnessed the accident, said it appeared that a tailwind gust had raised the tail.
Reportedly, the airplane sustained minor damage. The pilot suffered fractures of the left clavicle and scapula.
The pilot reported he had logged 43.7 hours total time in airplanes, of which 20.6 were in the Emeraude, and 12.6 hours total pilot-in-command time, of which 8.8 hours were in the Emeraude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99PC
- Reported as
- Crozier Emeraude
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1PC
- Airframe hours
- 215
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 135 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. & April E. Barber
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 6, 1999 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- D17
- Destination
- 1V9 · Delta, CO
- Airport
- D17 · Hawkins Field, runway 22, 5,600 × 100 ft, dirt
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 44 total · 21 in this make and model · 13 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GJT, 38 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.