- Date
- December 20, 2015, 11:37 local (16:37 UTC)
- Place
- Middle River, MD
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N853WDDay William L Minicoupe
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20151220022869A
- Case key
- 92489
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 incorrect installation of the rudder horn and failure to properly inspect the installation, which led to a loss of 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
The pilot of the experimental amateur built airplane reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane veered to the left. As the airplane neared the left edge of the runway, the pilot rotated the airplane in an attempt to be come airborne, but the airplane aerodynamically stalled three feet above the runway and then impacted the runway nose first. The pilot reported that he performed a post-accident inspection of the airplane with the assistance of another pilot, and he discovered that he installed the rudder control horn upside down. The improper installation reversed the rudder control input. When right rudder input was needed during takeoff to overcome the airplane's left turning tendency precipitated by the engine and propeller, pushing on the right rudder pedal made the airplane turn left. The pilot recommended that he verify proper control connections after maintenance.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the experimental amateur built airplane reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane veered to the left. As the airplane neared the left edge of the runway, the pilot rotated the airplane in an attempt to be come airborne, but the airplane aerodynamically stalled three feet above the runway and then impacted the runway nose first. The pilot reported that he performed a post-accident inspection of the airplane with the assistance of another pilot, and he discovered that he installed the rudder control horn upside down. The improper installation reversed the rudder control input. When right rudder input was needed during takeoff to overcome the airplane's left turning tendency precipitated by the engine and propeller, pushing on the right rudder pedal made the airplane turn left. The pilot recommended that he verify proper control connections after maintenance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N853WD
- Reported as
- Day William L Minicoupe
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- WD00001
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Engine
- Volkswagen 1915 CC, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 29, 2015
- Departed
- MTN · Middle River, MD
- Destination
- MTN · Middle River, MD
- Airport
- MTN · Martin State, runway 33, 6,997 × 180 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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 5, 2014
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 384 total · 292 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.59 inHg
- Observed at
- KMTN, 1 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 8, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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 N853WD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.