# NTSB ERA15LA306: Wright Daniel J Volksplane VP-1, N9288, Brooksville, FL, August 10, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 10, 2015, 10:33 local (14:33 UTC) - Place: Brooksville, FL - Coordinates: 28.473611, -82.455558 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4736&lon=-82.4556&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report May 1, 2017 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91744 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA306 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91744/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91744 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA306 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff after determining that the engine was not producing adequate power. Contributing to the accident was the engine's inability to produce adequate power for reasons that could not be determined due to extensive postimpact fire damage. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern downwind: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Wright Daniel J VP-1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056295L), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The sport pilot, who was also the builder of the single-seat, experimental, amateur-built airplane, stated that he had "some issues" during assembly of the experimental engine kit, but was finally able to achieve the desired engine rpm during static tests. Subsequently, during the airplane's takeoff roll on its first flight with the new engine, the pilot noted that the airplane was able to gain airspeed, but struggled to become airborne. The pilot stated that he should have aborted the takeoff at that point. The airplane reached a maximum altitude about 100 ft, the engine lost power, and the airplane descended into trees and was destroyed by a postimpact fire. The extent of the fire precluded detailed documentation of the engine and its associated systems; therefore, the reason for the loss of power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On August 10, 2015, at 1033 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Volksplane VP-1, N9288, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport (BKV), Brooksville, Florida. The sport pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane, was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local test flight which was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.According to information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane departed from runway 9 and appeared to climb no higher than 100 feet. It made a left turn beyond the departure end of the runway and eventually descended into a wooded area about 1/2 mile north of the approach end of runway 27. According to the pilot, he purchased the preowned fuselage and wings in late 2012, and after assembling those, purchased landing gear, some instrumentation and a Sonex Aerovee 2180 engine kit. He also noted that he had "no experience building an aircraft engine or any engine for that matter." The pilot further stated that there were initially "some issues" with the engine's performance, but that it finally achieved [desired] static rpm on the ground. The accident flight was the pilot's first in the single-seat airplane. During the takeoff roll, the airplane "gained speed but struggled to get off the ground at which time I should have aborted the takeoff. Trying to overcome the first flight anxiety and not knowing how this aircraft should behave," the pilot continued the takeoff. After being cleared for a left turn, the pilot continued the climb, but realized that the engine, "did not develop enough power to climb sufficiently." As the airplane began to turn downwind, the engine lost more power, and the airplane descended into trees. Hitting the trees, the airplane burst into flames, and the pilot passed out. When he awoke, the pilot was in the fuselage and his legs were on fire. After unbuckling the four-point safety harness, he climbed out of the fuselage and crawled away from the fire. Photographs of the scene showed the airplane in multiple parts and mostly consumed by the fire. The responding FAA inspector noted that the extent of the fire precluded detailed examination of the engine and systems. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9288](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9288-2018-11-03), registration cancelled 2018-11-03, S/N 42010, built 2010 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WRIGHT DANIEL J Volksplane VP-1 - Registry model: [Wright Daniel J VP-1](https://openairdocs.org/model/wright-daniel-j-vp-1) (registry code 056295L) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Aerovee 2180](https://openairdocs.org/engine/aerovee-2180) (registry code 01400, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 42010 - Year built: 2010 - Airframe hours: 120 - Engines: AEROVEE 2180 80 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: BKV, Brooksville, FL - Destination: BKV, Brooksville, FL - Airport: BKV, Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl, runway 09, 7,002 × 150 ft, concrete - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: sport pilot; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 148 total, 0.1 in this make and model, 25 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 40° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: BKV ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20150810015749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150810015749A), Aug 10, 2015: Wright Daniel J VP-1, Brooksville, FL, Destroyed. On August 10, 2015, at approximately 1030 local time, a experimental amateur built VP-1, N9288, stalled and landed in trees during climb out from runway 9 at… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 29, 2017, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91744. 3.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450396&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record (item 2, .PDF, 22 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450419&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-Master.PDF - Investigation Photographs (item 3, .PDF, 243 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40450420&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.