- Date
- August 1, 2010, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Zelienople, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4113MLuscombe 8C
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 7, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100801047039A
- Case key
- 76848
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 loss of directional control while taking off with a gusting wind.
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
According to the pilot, during the takeoff ground roll the airplane encountered a sudden gust of wind and turned left. The pilot corrected with right rudder, but the airplane departed the runway and bounced several times before the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and found no preimpact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The pilot further reported that wind at the airport was shifting.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during the takeoff ground roll, he encountered a sudden gust of wind, turning the tailwheeled airplane to the left. The pilot corrected with right rudder, but the airplane departed the runway and bounced several times before the right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing and fuselage were substantially damaged. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and did not note any pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The pilot also reported that there were shifting winds at the airport, and that he might have attempted to take off in a tailwind because the wind tee was frozen in one position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4113M
- Reported as
- Luscombe 8C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1412
- Airframe hours
- 2,993
- Engine
- Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 2009 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- PJC · Zelienople, PA
- Destination
- D95 · Lapeer, MI
- Airport
- PJC · Zelienople Municiple Airport, runway 35, 4,933 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 23, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 649 total · 452 in this make and model · 603 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KBTP, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 217 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.