- Date
- September 1, 2013, 16:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, TN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N42548Maxair Drifter Drifter II
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20130901019219A
- Case key
- 87988
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 aircraft control during the initial climb after takeoff in gusty wind conditions, which resulted in a hard off-airport landing.
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
The pilot of the amateur-built, amphibious, light-sport airplane reported that the airplane accelerated and lifted off from the asphalt runway without incident; however, during the initial climb it encountered "severe turbulence." The pilot was not able to control the airplane and was attempting to return to the airport when it landed hard in a soy bean field, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; nor did the pilot report any. The pilot reported that wind at the time of the accident was light and variable, with gusts up to 8 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the amateur-built, amphibious, light-sport airplane reported that the airplane accelerated and lifted off from the asphalt runway without incident; however, during the initial climb it encountered "severe turbulence." The pilot was not able to control the airplane and was attempting to return to the airport when it landed hard in a soy bean field, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; nor did the pilot report any. The pilot reported that winds at the time of the accident were light and variable, with gusts up to 8 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42548
- Reported as
- Maxair Drifter Drifter II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MD 2008
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 255
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David A. Gregory
- Registered owner
- David A. Gregory
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special); Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 26, 2013 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 3M7 · Lafayette, TN
- Destination
- NONE · Celina, TN
- Airport
- 3M7 · Lafayette Muni, runway 01, 5,200 × 75 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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 960 total · 125 in this make and model · 881 as pilot in command · 56 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- BWG, 32 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.4 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.