- Date
- September 29, 2023, 08:10 local (12:10 UTC)
- Place
- Liberty, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N557JMJohn W Moll Vans RV-7
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- 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
- 20230929020389A
- Case key
- 193172
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 maintain directional control during the takeoff roll which resulted in a runway excursion and substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer.
Findings · 2
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
After completing a successful landing, the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane applied engine power to begin the takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer right. The pilot applied left rudder to correct; however, the airplane veered left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane impacted the precision approach path indicators light system resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N557JM
- Reported as
- John W Moll Vans RV-7
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 70912
- Built
- 2023
- Airframe hours
- 0.7
- Engine
- Aerosport Power IO-360-M1S, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · June 15, 2023
- Airport
- LQK · Pickens County, runway 23, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- 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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 31, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 151 total · 4 in this make and model · 53 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- LQK
- METAR
- KLQK 291215Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 13/13 A3013 RMK AO2 T01300127
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.0 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.