- Date
- May 22, 2015, 18:04 local (22:04 UTC)
- Place
- Lebanon, TN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8547WWilson Michael A Challenger II
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 11, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150522009099A
- Case key
- 91272
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 non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, uncontrolled descent, and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of training and flight experience in the accident airplane.
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 non-certificated pilot stated that when he took off in his airplane, it began to turn to the left. He was unable to stop the turn and the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The pilot said that he just purchased the airplane and this was his first flight. He had not received any training in the airplane prior to the flight and had not received any recent flight instruction in any aircraft. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no pre-mishap mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The non-certificated pilot stated that when he took off in his airplane, it began to turn to the left. He was unable to stop the turn and the airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The pilot said that he just purchased the airplane and this was his first flight. He had not received any training in the airplane prior to the flight and had not received any recent flight instruction in any aircraft. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no pre-mishap mechanical discrepancies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8547W
- Reported as
- Wilson Michael A Challenger II
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CH2-0603-CW-233
- Built
- 2004
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- M54 · Lebanon, TN
- Destination
- M54 · Lebanon, TN
- Airport
- M54 · Lebanon Municipal, runway 04, 1,801 × 50 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
- 64
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Front
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- MQY, 15 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 30, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.