- Date
- April 5, 2017, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Cedar City, UT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N81173Funk B85C
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 20, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170405002469A
- Case key
- 94966
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 airplane during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 2
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 tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane started to veer left. As he recovered, the airplane "violently" turned to the right and exited the runway. He reduced the engine power, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing lift strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane started to veer left. As he recovered, the airplane "violently" turned to the right and exited the runway. He reduced the engine power and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left-wing lift strut and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N81173
- Reported as
- Funk B85C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 303
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 2,754.1
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A-38, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2016
- Departed
- CDC · Cedar City, UT
- Destination
- CDC · Cedar City, UT
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- CDC · Cedar City Rgnl, runway 20, 8,650 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- 84
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 21, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 281 total · 175 in this make and model · 281 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.26 inHg
- Observed at
- KCDC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.