- Date
- February 17, 2017, 18:00 local (Feb 18, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Borger, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N591PPitts Special S 1C
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 10, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170217001699A
- Case key
- 94732
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 of the biplane 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 reported that, during the takeoff as the tailwheel lifted, the biplane veered "hard right" and exited the runway. He added that he "felt" he had enough speed to fly and attempted to lift off. Subsequently, the biplane struck a tree. The biplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the biplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the takeoff as the tailwheel lifted, the biplane veered "hard right" and exited the runway. He added that he "felt" he had enough speed to fly and attempted to lift off. Subsequently, the biplane struck a tree. The biplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N591P
- Reported as
- Pitts Special S 1C (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CP-1
- Built
- 1967
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Unknown
- Departed
- BGD · Borger, TX
- Destination
- BGD · Borger, TX
- Airport
- BGD · Hutchinson County, runway 17, 6,299 × 100 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
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 4, 2016
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 967.4 total · 30 in this make and model · 877.7 as pilot in command · 4.4 in the last 90 days · 3.4 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.63 inHg
- Observed at
- KBGD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 28, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 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.