- Date
- May 22, 2010, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Placid, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N80188PZL Mielec M18
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100522045059A
- Case key
- 76073
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 during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 2
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
The pilot was departing from the 60-foot-wide runway, which was lined with trees on both sides. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that he drifted "too far over to the left" and the airplane's left wing impacted a tree. The airplane subsequently "pulled" to the left, impacted a second tree, nosed over, and came to rest inverted in a canal which ran alongside the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Factual narrative
The pilot was departing from the 60-foot-wide runway, which was lined with trees on both sides. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated that he drifted "too far over to the left" and the airplane's left wing impacted a tree. The airplane subsequently "pulled" to the left, impacted a second tree, nosed over, and came to rest inverted in a canal which ran alongside the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N80188
- Reported as
- PZL Mielec M18 (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1Z025-10
- Airframe hours
- 3,737
- Engine
- Pezetel ASZ-621R-M18, 986 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Operator
- Southern Air Services LLC
- Registered owner
- Sunniland Aircraft Sales Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 6, 2009
- Departed
- NONE · Lake Placid, FL
- Destination
- NONE · Lake Placid, FL
- Airport
- NONE · Sunray Airstrip, runway 36, 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
- 24
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2009
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 40 in this make and model · 1,500 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- OBE
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 346 KB 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.