- Date
- May 20, 2014, 14:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N115TECostruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Eaglet
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140520007889A
- Case key
- 89271
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 the takeoff roll.
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 student pilot was on a solo training flight and was attempting to perform a simulated soft-field takeoff. While accelerating, the pilot "lost directional control due to improper use of [the rudder]." The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, crossed a parallel taxiway, and collided with an embankment, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "…apply more right rudder immediately upon acceleration instead of trying to ease into it."
Factual narrative
The student pilot was on a solo training flight and was attempting to perform a simulated soft-field takeoff. While accelerating, the pilot "lost directional control due to improper use of [the rudder]." The airplane subsequently departed the left side of the runway, crossed a parallel taxiway, and collided with an embankment, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. When asked how the accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated, "…apply more right rudder immediately upon acceleration instead of trying to ease into it."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N115TE
- Reported as
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Eaglet
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1215
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 2,289
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Adventures In Flight II LLC
- Registered owner
- Adventures In Flight II LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 24, 2014 · 69 hours before
- Departed
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Destination
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Airport
- W29 · Bay Bridge, runway 11, 2,714 × 60 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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 63 total · 19 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KNAK, 6 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.