- Date
- March 19, 2015, 17:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cambridge, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N731HGCostruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Eaglet
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 13, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20150319003209A
- Case key
- 90910
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 takeoff.
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
During a cross country flight, the sport pilot attempted a soft field takeoff at an intermediate stop on the flight. On the takeoff roll the pilot applied full power and pulled the flight controls full aft. Subsequently, the nose pitched up, the pilot lost forward vision, and the airplane began drifting to the left. As the takeoff roll continued the pilot lost directional control and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane rolled downward into a ditch and came to rest after the propeller struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and winds were calm at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
During a cross country flight, the sport pilot attempted a soft field takeoff at an intermediate stop on the flight. On the takeoff roll the pilot applied full power and pulled the flight controls full aft. Subsequently, the nose pitched up, the pilot lost forward vision, and the airplane began drifting to the left. As the takeoff roll continued the pilot lost directional control and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane rolled downward into a ditch and came to rest after the propeller struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and winds were calm at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731HG
- Reported as
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 Eaglet (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1208
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 1,141.7
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chesapeake Sport Pilot
- Registered owner
- Pt Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 11, 2015
- Departed
- RJD · Ridgely, MD
- Destination
- CGE · Cambridge, MD
- Airport
- CGE · Cambridge-Dorchester, runway 34, 4,477 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 9, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 148 total · 129 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- CGE
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.