ERA09CA359

NTSB accident investigation · Aircraft Mfg & Development CH 601XL S · Vaughn, MS · June 20, 2009

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
June 20, 2009, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
Place
Vaughn, MS
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N2601Aircraft Mfg & Development CH 601XL S
Defining event
Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 10, 2009
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20090620009419A
Case key
74089

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 inadequate preflight planning.

Findings · 3

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

An airline transport pilot was departing a private grass field in a special light sport airplane with a passenger onboard. With calm wind, the airplane began a takeoff roll to the west on an approximately 1000-foot-long turf runway. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll the airplane encountered a dip/bump in the runway, which reduced groundspeed and extended the ground roll. The airplane became airborne near the end of the runway, where it started to lose lift and struck an unseen wire with the right main landing gear. The wire was a solar/electrical wire, at a height of approximately 1 to 2 feet, which ran along an adjacent soybean patch. The airplane's nose then pitched down and the airplane came to rest at the bottom of a 5-foot embankment. The pilot reported that due to the density altitude and the weight of the airplane, he could not gain sufficient airspeed during the takeoff to climb. The pilot added that had the unseen wire not "snagged" the landing gear, the airplane would have been able to continue accelerating and climbing. The airplane received damage to the propeller, left leading edge of the left wing, the landing gear, and the fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical deficiencies or mechanical problems with the airplane.

Factual narrative

An airline transport pilot was departing a private grass field in a special light sport airplane, with a passenger onboard. With calm wind, the airplane began a takeoff roll to the west on an approximate 1000-foot-long turf runway. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a dip/bump in the runway, which reduced groundspeed and extended the ground roll. The airplane became airborne near the end of the runway, where it started to lose lift and struck an unseen wire with the right main landing gear. The wire was a solar/electrical wire, at a height of approximately 1 to 2 feet, which ran along and adjacent soybean patch. The airplane's nose then pitched down and the airplane came to rest at the bottom of a 5-foot embankment. The pilot reported that due to the density altitude and the weight of the airplane, he could not gain sufficient airspeed during the takeoff to climb. The pilot added that had the unseen wire not "snagged" the landing gear, the airplane would have been able to continue accelerating and climbing. The airplane received damage to the propeller, left leading edge of the left wing, the landing gear, and the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies or mechanical problems with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N2601
Reported as
Aircraft Mfg & Development CH 601XL S
Category
Airplane
Serial number
601-005S
Airframe hours
311
Engine
Cont Motor O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
John M Nassour
Registered owner
N2601 LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Special light-sport (Special)
Last inspection
100 hour · April 5, 2009
Departed
NONE · Vaughn, MS
Destination
VKS · Vicksburg, MS
Airport
NONE · Private Airstrip, runway 27, 1,000 × 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
40
Injuries
None
Certificates
Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
June 11, 2009
Seat
Right
Flight hours
6,837 total · 140 in this make and model · 6,590 as pilot in command · 268 in the last 90 days · 77 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
95 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.93 inHg
Observed at
JAN, 10 nm away

Docket · 4

The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

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