# NTSB ERA11CA128: Excalibur Excalibur, N818RJ, Immokalee, FL, January 30, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: January 30, 2011, 13:51 local (18:51 UTC) - Place: Immokalee, FL - Coordinates: 26.43361, -81.400558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.4336&lon=-81.4006&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report June 8, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 78236 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA128 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/78236/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78236 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA128 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a high speed taxi test resulting in unintentional flight and ground collision. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was completing high speed taxi tests when the airplane inadvertently became airborne. The airplane climbed to about 50 to 70 feet above ground level and the pilot attempted to touch back down to land. The airplane descended quickly and he applied right rudder and pushed the controls forward. The airplane impacted the ground, incurring substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Documentation provided by the airplane manufacturer recommended against high speed taxi. ## Factual narrative According to several pilots that were in the traffic pattern, the pilot announced over the common traffic advisory frequency that he was taking off from runway 36. In a statement to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot reported that he was completing high speed taxi tests when the airplane inadvertently became airborne. The airplane climbed to about 50 to 70 feet above ground level before the pilot pushed the controls forward to land. The airplane descended "fast" and the pilot pulled back in order to arrest the descent. Then, he applied right rudder, pushed forward on the controls again, and the airplane impacted the ground, and incurred substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Documentation provided by the manufacturer recommended against high speed taxi. Despite several requests, the pilot did not submit a Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, form 6120, to the National Transportation Safety Board. ## Aircraft - Registration: N818RJ (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Excalibur Aircraft Excalibur - Category: Ultralight - Serial number: 11199 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Randall Donofrio - Registered owner: Randall Donofrio - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Departed: IMM, Immokalee, FL - Destination: IMM, Immokalee, FL - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: IMM, Immokalee Regional, runway 09, 5,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; injuries: serious; medical: unknown; flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 60° at 3 knots - Visibility: 0 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 200 ft indefinitevv - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.22 inHg - Observed at: RSW ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110130001589A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110130001589A), Jan 30, 2011: Experimenta EXCALIBUR, Immokalee, FL, Destroyed. On January 30, 2011, at 0845 local time, [privacy data omitted] crashed his experimental light sport aircraft at the Immokalee Airport, Florida. The aircraft… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 2, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=78236. 517 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Memorandum (item 1, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344382&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20Memorandum-Master.PDF - Pilot Statement (item 2, .PDF, 242 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344167&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Witness Statements (item 3, .PDF, 44 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Master.PDF - Excerpt from Airplane Manual - Taxi Testing (item 4, .PDF, 13 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344291&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpt%20from%20Airplane%20Manual%20-%20Taxi%20Testing-Master.PDF - Weather Reports - RSW METARs (item 5, .PDF, 16 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344289&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20-%20RSW%20METARs-Master.PDF - Picture 1: View of Airplane Wreckage (Courtesy of Airport Manager) (item 6, .PDF, 154 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40344292&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Picture%201%3A%20View%20of%20Airplane%20Wreckage%20(Courtesy%20of%20Airport%20Manager)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.