- Date
- September 14, 2013, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Blythe, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N887ASMiller/Culpepper Christen Eagle II
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20130914025739A
- Case key
- 88047
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 takeoff which resulted in a stall and collision with terrain.
Findings · 6
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, there was about a 10 knot crosswind from the east while departing the airport to the south. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane drifted toward trees on the west side of the runway due to a left quartering tailwind. In addition, the airplane's climb performance decreased due to the tailwind. The pilot banked the airplane into the wind, the left wing "dropped," and the airplane stalled. The pilot made a forced landing and slid to a stop colliding with a tree and building structure. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left and right wing. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, there was about a 10 knot crosswind from the east while departing the airport to the south. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane drifted toward trees on the west side of the runway due to a left quartering tailwind. In addition, the airplane's climb performance decreased due to the tailwind. The pilot banked the airplane into the wind, the left wing "dropped," and the airplane stalled. The pilot made a forced landing and slid to a stop colliding with a tree and building structure. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left and right wing. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N887AS
- Reported as
- Miller/Culpepper Christen Eagle II (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Built
- 1990
- Airframe hours
- 1,193
- Engine
- Lycoming L-19745-5 1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Nodorft Allen J
- Registered owner
- Nodorft Allen J
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 1, 2013 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- 61GA · Blythe, GA
- Destination
- HQU · Thomson, GA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 61GA · Pea Patch Aerodrome, runway 18, 2,500 × 200 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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2013
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 990 total · 253 in this make and model · 837 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- AGS, 19 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 16, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.