- Date
- January 15, 2020, 12:18 local (17:18 UTC)
- Place
- Coleman, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N235LSVans Vans RV 9
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200115003589A
- Case key
- 100818
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 properly configure the airplane for takeoff, which resulted in premature liftoff, loss of control, and collision with terrain.
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 pilot had completed several takeoffs and full stop landings in the airport traffic pattern. During a subsequent touch and go landing the pilot did not retract the flaps fully after landing. The airplane then became airborne prematurely at too low an airspeed during the subsequent takeoff attempt. When the pilot attempted to lower the nose and gain airspeed the left wingtip contacted the ground and spun the airplane to the right. The propeller dug into the turf just off the runway and the airplane came to rest inverted in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot had completed several takeoffs and full stop landings in the airport traffic pattern. During a subsequent touch and go landing the pilot did not retract the flaps fully after landing. The airplane then became airborne prematurely at too low an airspeed during the subsequent takeoff attempt. When the pilot attempted to lower the nose and gain airspeed the left wingtip contacted the ground and spun the airplane to the right. The propeller dug into the turf just off the runway and the airplane came to rest inverted in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N235LS
- Reported as
- Vans Vans RV 9 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 90866
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 1,000
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235 C1, 118 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 11, 2019
- Departed
- 2FA6 · Coleman, FL
- Destination
- 2FA6 · Coleman, FL
- Airport
- 2FA6 · Freeflight Intl, runway 02, 4,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic primary flight display
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 11, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 376 total · 11 in this make and model · 307 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KINF, 13 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.