- Date
- June 2, 2017, 15:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Chapman, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N600USMagnaghi Aeronautica SKY Arrow LSA
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170602010959A
- Case key
- 95298
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 lateral/bank control during the takeoff climb in gusting crosswind conditions.
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 pilot reported that, during takeoff from a private turf airstrip, about 50 ft above the ground, the airplane encountered a wind gust that "quickly" lifted the left wing and pushed the airplane to the right. He added that he attempted to level the wings, but he "did not have enough aileron." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain in a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature was 85°, the sky was clear, and the wind was from 200° at 5 knots and not gusting. He took off from runway 23. An automated weather observation station, about 14 nautical miles from the accident airport, recorded wind from 170° at 9 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during takeoff from a private turf airstrip, about 50 ft. above ground, the airplane encountered a gust of wind that "quickly" lifted the left wing and pushed the airplane to the right. He added that he attempted to level the wings, but he "did not have enough aileron." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain in a nose low, right wing down attitude. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature was 85?, the sky was clear, and the wind was from 200° at 5 knots, and not gusting. He took off on runway 23. An automated weather observation station, about 14 nautical miles from the accident airport, recorded wind from 170° at 9 knots, gusting to 20 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N600US
- Reported as
- Magnaghi Aeronautica SKY Arrow LSA (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LSA026
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 41
- Engine
- Rotax 912 ULS2-01, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- US Aero LLC.
- Registered owner
- US Aero LLC.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 2, 2017
- Departed
- 8KS8 · Chapman, KS
- Destination
- 3JC · Junction City, KS
- Airport
- 8KS8 · Prairie Cottage, runway 23, 1,400 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight engineer
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 23, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 18,752 total · 26 in this make and model · 4,751 as pilot in command · 220 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KFRI, 13 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 4, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.8 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.