- Date
- June 5, 2025, 09:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- Medina, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N75FWFred L Wellman CH 750 Cruzer
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2025
- 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
- 20250605005669A
- Case key
- 200271
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 control of the airplane during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
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
The pilot reported that this flight was conducted as part of phase 1 flight testing of the newly constructed experimental amateur-built airplane. The pilot stated that he had watched a video from the airplane kit manufacturer on “factory takeoff,” which suggested keeping the control stick slightly aft of neutral and applying partial power. During the accident takeoff, he tried the method described by the video and when the airplane lifted off, it was too slow. About 5ft above ground level, the airplane stalled, and the left wing dropped. The airplane impacted to the left of the runway and continued into a ditch and an area of brush, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75FW
- Reported as
- Fred L Wellman CH 750 Cruzer
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- C75-11088
- Built
- 2025
- Airframe hours
- 2.5
- Engine
- Jabiru 3300A, 120 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 1, 2025 · 2.5 hours before
- Airport
- 1G5 · Medina Muni, runway 27, 3,556 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 11, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 960 total · 6 in this make and model · 849 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- AKR, 15 nm away
- METAR
- KAKR 051254Z AUTO 19006KT 8SM CLR 23/17 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP171 T02280172
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 14, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.