- Date
- March 18, 2017, 08:03 local (15:03 UTC)
- Place
- Borrego Springs, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N153JMCubcrafters CC11-160
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170318006319A
- Case key
- 94991
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 selection of an unsuitable takeoff area, which resulted in impact with obstacles.
Findings · 4
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 private pilot reported that he landed off airport to an unimproved surface. He remarked that the "airplane only needs about 60 feet of ground roll to become airborne." During the attempted takeoff, the airplane ascended about 2 ft above ground level before the landing gear wheel impacted desert shrubs, and the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane touched down and developed a side load, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage tube struts and the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot reported that he landed off airport to an unimproved surface. He remarked that the, "airplane only needs about 60 feet of ground roll to become airborne." During the attempted takeoff the airplane ascended about 2 ft. above ground level before the landing gear wheel impacted desert shrubs and the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane touched down and developed a side load and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage tube struts and the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N153JM
- Reported as
- Cubcrafters CC11-160 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC11-00153
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 306
- Engine
- Cub Crafters CC340, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 2016
- Departed
- L08 · Boreggo Springs, CA
- Destination
- KUDD · Bermuda Dunes, CA
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 12, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 670 total · 141 in this make and model · 116 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KNJK, 34 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 25, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.8 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.