- Date
- January 31, 1993, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4312CRans S-7
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930131001169A
- Case key
- 18692
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
Aircraft control not maintained by pilot. Turbulence due to strong, gusty winds was a factor
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the initial climb from takeoff roll, gusty winds rolled the airplane to the right. The right gear struck the muddy terrain. Subsequently the left gear and left wing made contact with the mud
Factual narrative
On Sunday, January 31, 1993, at approximately 1130 central standard time, a Rans S-7 home built, N4312C, was substantially damaged when gusty crosswind conditions were encountered during initial climb following takeoff at the Lancaster, Texas, municipal airport. The airplane, owned and operated by the private pilot, was departing on what was to have been a 14 CFR Part 91 local personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area. Neither the pilot nor the one passenger were injured.
The pilot reported that he encountered gusty conditions "shortly after takeoff." He further reported that the aircraft rolled to the "right and the right gear struck the mud." Subsequently the left gear and left wing struck the mud.
The airplane was released to the owner following the investigation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4312C
- Reported as
- Rans S-7
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 489045
- Airframe hours
- 103
- Engine
- Rotax 532, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Windfred D. Hinchliffe
- Registered owner
- Windfred D. Hinchliffe
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 23, 1993 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- LNC
- Destination
- LNC
- Airport
- LNC · Lancaster, runway 31, 4,999 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 103 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 25 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.