- Date
- September 9, 2016, 12:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Warrenton, VA
- Injuries
- 14 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N750SSPacific Aerospace 750XL
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 18, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160909019159A
- Case key
- 93995
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 set the wing flaps for takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, an aborted takeoff, and a runway overrun.
Findings · 7
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 was his third skydiving flight of the day and he performed a back taxi on the runway for takeoff. He further reported that as he rotated the airplane for takeoff, he heard a "steady" stall warning horn, the flight controls felt mushy, and the airplane would not climb. The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff and applied max braking and reverse thrust, but the airplane overran the runway remaining. Subsequently, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane collided with a fence. The left and right wing sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that he observed the wing flaps in the fully retracted position. He reported that the flaps should have been set to 20 degrees for takeoff. The pilot reported that he forgot to set the flaps during the back taxi for takeoff because he was communicating with other airplanes near the airport. The pilot reported that he did not use a physical checklist, but he did run through a checklist mentally. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that this was his third skydiving flight of the day and he performed a back taxi on the runway for takeoff. He further reported that as he rotated the airplane for takeoff, he heard a "steady" stall warning horn, the flight controls felt mushy, and the airplane would not climb. The pilot reported that he aborted the takeoff and applied max braking and reverse thrust, but the airplane overran the runway remaining. Subsequently, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane collided with a fence. The left and right wing sustained substantial damage. After the accident, the pilot reported that he observed the wing flaps in the fully retracted position. He reported that the flaps should have been set to 20 degrees for takeoff. The pilot reported that he forgot to set the flaps during the back taxi for takeoff because he was communicating with other airplanes near the airport. The pilot reported that he did not use a physical checklist, but he did run through a checklist mentally. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N750SS
- Reported as
- Pacific Aerospace 750XL (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 115
- Built
- 2005
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34, 750 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Operator
- D.C. Skydiving Center
- Registered owner
- Maxim Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 7VG0 · Warrenton, VA
- Destination
- 7VG0 · Warrenton, VA
- Airport
- 7VG0 · Warrenton Air Park, runway 22, 2,215 × 70 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 21, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,657 total · 229 in this make and model · 1,017 as pilot in command · 197 in the last 90 days · 80 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
- 91 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KHWY, 5 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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 N750SS · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.