- Date
- June 13, 2010, 19:12 local (23:12 UTC)
- Place
- Carolina Beach, NC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N39DDwight Lohr Baby Ace
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- 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
- 20100613037039A
- Case key
- 76309
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 clearance from a tree during initial climb after takeoff.
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
According to a witness, after performing a touch and go, the pilot initiated a left turnout from the runway, which was bordered by trees on its left side. While still climbing, the airplane's left wing struck a pine tree approximately 1 foot below its top. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest nose-down, almost vertical, in a sandy area next to a parking lot. He also noted a broken branch from a 40- to 50-foot pine tree approximately 1,000 feet from the beginning of the 2,750-foot runway. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engine. The pilot did not respond to an NTSB request for information about the accident.
Factual narrative
According to a witness, after performing a touch and go, the pilot initiated a left turnout from the runway, which was bordered by trees on its left side. While still climbing, the airplane's left wing struck a pine tree approximately 1 foot below its top. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest nose-down, almost vertical, in a sandy area next to a parking lot. He also noted a broken branch from a 40- to 50-foot pine tree approximately 1,000 feet from the beginning of the 2,750-foot runway, and no evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engine. The pilot did not respond to an NTSB request for information about the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N39D
- Reported as
- Dwight Lohr Baby Ace
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2219
- Airframe hours
- 1,345.7
- Engine
- Continental A-75-8, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 15, 2010
- Departed
- 03NC · Carolina Beach, NC
- Destination
- 03NC · Carolina Beach, NC
- Airport
- 03NC · Pilots Ridge Airport, runway 27, 2,750 × 40 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
- 72
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- June 10, 2010
- Seat
- Single
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 4 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- ILM, 10 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 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.
Other investigations on N39D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.