- Date
- August 16, 2014, 09:10 local (13:10 UTC)
- Place
- Baltimore, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N853WDDay William L Minicoupe
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- FAA report
- 20140816016929A
- Case key
- 89955
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/owner/builder's improper weight and balance calculations, which rendered the airplane uncontrollable in the pitch axis.
Findings · 4
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/owner/builder of the airplane, he conducted taxi tests, and then a final engine run-up and flight control check prior to takeoff on the airplane's second flight. After rotation, the airplane reached approximately 3 feet above the runway when the nose dropped, and application of full up elevator had no effect. The airplane struck the runway nose first, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. This was the identical outcome as the first flight several months prior. An FAA inspector estimated that the builder had added about 63 pounds with his modifications to the original airplane plans. The pilot performed the weight and balance on the airplane using bathroom scales and stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. His NTSB Form 6120.1 Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation was: "Re-weigh aircraft with calibrated scales to determine weight and balance. Fix apparent nose heavy aircraft with appropriate movement of the battery or additional weight in the tail section."
Factual narrative
According to the pilot/owner/builder of the airplane, he conducted taxi tests, and then a final engine run-up and flight control check prior to takeoff on the airplane's second flight. After rotation, the airplane reached approximately 3 feet above the runway when the nose dropped, and application of full up elevator had no effect. The airplane struck the runway nose first, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. This was the identical outcome as the first flight several months prior. An FAA inspector estimated that the builder had added about 63 pounds with his modifications to the original airplane plans. The pilot performed the weight and balance on the airplane using bathroom scales and stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. His NTSB Form 6120.1 Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation was: "Re-weigh aircraft with calibrated scales to determine weight and balance. Fix apparent nose heavy aircraft with appropriate movement of the battery or additional weight in the tail section."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N853WD
- Reported as
- Day William L Minicoupe
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- WD00001
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Day William L
- Registered owner
- Day William L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 29, 2013 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- MTN · Baltimore, MD
- Destination
- MTN · Baltimore, MD
- Airport
- MTN · Martin State, runway 33, 6,997 × 180 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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 7, 2013
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 363 total · 1 in this make and model · 272 as pilot in command · 0 in the last 90 days · 0 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MTN
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 30, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.5 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.
Other investigations on N853WD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.