- Date
- August 9, 2023, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Holy Hill, SC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1624ZEipper Formance Mxii
- Defining event
- Initial climb: 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
- 20230809012229A
- Case key
- 192837
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 exceedance of the critical angle of attack during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall at low altitude and a collision with a hangar. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the accident make and model 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 pilot reported that the accident flight was his first flight in this make and model airplane, and he planned to complete a few high-speed taxi runs before deciding to takeoff. During the first high-speed taxi attempt, the pilot lifted the nose wheel up, and after riding on the rear wheels he increased engine power to “slightly lift off”; however, the airplane quickly climbed to 30 or 40 feet above ground level within a few seconds. Subsequently, the pilot reduced power to land, but the airplane immediately entered an aerodynamic stall and rolled to the left. The airplane continued to descend and impacted a hangar which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He further added that he was unfamiliar with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1624Z
- Reported as
- Eipper Formance Mxii (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1764
- Built
- 2007
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 50 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- 5J5 · Holly Hill, runway 4-22, 3,900 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 45
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 21, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 243 total · 0 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 32 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- OGB, 25 nm away
- METAR
- KOGB 092353Z AUTO 20004KT 10SM CLR 28/23 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP134 T02780228 10322 20278 53006
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 13, 2023, 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.
Other investigations on N1624Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.