- Date
- August 5, 2011, 09:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Frostproof, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N13LNNelsen Lynn H Lightning
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110805016909A
- Case key
- 81403
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 premature rotation 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
The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane was departing from a turf runway. He reported that as he passed his normal rotation point on the runway, he rotated the airplane without verifying his airspeed, which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne prematurely. The airplane rotated, rolled to the left, impacted a light pole, and came to rest inverted. Substantial damage was sustained to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built Nelsen Lightning was departing from a turf runway. He reported that as he passed his normal rotation point on the runway, he rotated the airplane without verifying his airspeed, which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne prematurely. The airplane rotated, rolled to the left, impacted a light pole, and came to rest inverted, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N13LN
- Reported as
- Nelsen Lynn H Lightning
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 60
- Airframe hours
- 311
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 28, 2011
- Departed
- 52FL · Frostproof, FL
- Destination
- 52FL · Frostproof, FL
- Airport
- 52FL · Lake Clinch Airstrip, runway 36, 2,800 × 80 ft, 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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 12, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 11,588 total · 300 in this make and model · 9,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BOW, 16 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.