- Date
- March 11, 2016, 08:25 local (14:25 UTC)
- Place
- Brighton, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9290HBeech D17
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160311020109A
- Case key
- 92830
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 the runway course during takeoff, resulting in the airplane drifting to the left and impacting a fence. A contributing factor to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention during the 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 a tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that shortly after the biplane lifted off the runway during takeoff, he diverted his attention and reached for the fuel selector which was located on the lower right wall of the cockpit. He further reported that the biplane drifted to the left of the runway and impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper and lower right wings, and the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that shortly after the biplane lifted off the runway during takeoff, he diverted his attention and reached for the fuel selector which was located on the lower right wall of the cockpit. He further reported that the biplane drifted to the left of the runway and impacted a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper and lower right wings, and the fuselage. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9290H
- Reported as
- Beech D17 (S)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6726
- Built
- 1944
- Airframe hours
- 38,467
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stephen E. Dyer
- Registered owner
- Delta Enterprise
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2015
- Departed
- CO12 · Brighton, CO
- Destination
- CO12 · Brighton, CO
- Airport
- CO12 · Van Aire, runway 12, 3,700 × 50 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
- 70
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 7, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,691 total · 433 in this make and model · 3,589 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KDEN, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 28, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.