- Date
- August 9, 2010, 17:55 local (21:55 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, PA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N927LAEvektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus
- 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
- 20100809043259A
- Case key
- 76917
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during 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 the student pilot, he began the takeoff roll for his solo flight on runway 26, a 6,934-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. When the airspeed reached about 40 knots, the airplane “got out of control” and veered to the left because the student pilot “overcompensated” with rudder. He attempted to regain control of the airplane by reducing engine power; however, the airplane lifted off the runway. The pilot then added full power; however, the airplane began to descend, and he realized that it would not clear a corn field located to the left of the runway. The pilot then elected to reduce engine power again. The airplane touched down in a field and struck a bale of hay, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. He noted that his total flight experience was 19 hours, all of which were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the student pilot, he began his takeoff roll on runway 26, a 6,934-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. When the airspeed reached about 40 knots, the airplane “got out of control” and veered to the left because the student pilot “overcompensated” with rudder. He attempted to regain control of the airplane by reducing engine power; however, the airplane lifted off the runway. The pilot then added full power; however, the airplane began to descend, and he realized that it would not clear a corn field located to the left of the runway. The pilot then elected to reduce engine power again. The airplane touched down in a field and struck a bale of hay, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. He noted that his total flight experience was 19 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N927LA
- Reported as
- Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar Plus
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20070927
- Airframe hours
- 949
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Liberty Sport Aviation Lp
- Registered owner
- Liberty Sport Aviation Lp
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 5, 2010 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- LNS · Lancaster, PA
- Destination
- LNS · Lancaster, PA
- Airport
- LNS · Lancaster Airport, runway 26, 6,934 × 150 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 19 total · 19 in this make and model · 1 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- LNS
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 5, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.