- Date
- July 12, 2017, 07:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Los Lunas, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N116GDGerald Donovan Rans S-16
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170712009059A
- Case key
- 95565
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 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 of the experimental amateur-built airplane reported that he was performing a "test flight" and had previously accumulated about 2 hours of total flight time with the airplane. He added that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane veered to the left, and he responded by applying right rudder and aft pitch to rotate the airplane. He added that, as the airplane lifted off the runway, the airplane continued to the left and impacted weeds and a ditch. The elevator, wings, and right aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane reported that he was performing a "test flight" and had accumulated about 2 hours of total flight time previously with the airplane. He added that, during the takeoff roll the airplane veered to the left and he responded by applying right rudder and aft pitch to rotate the airplane. He added that, as the airplane lifted off the runway, the airplane continued to the left and impacted weeds and a ditch. The elevator, wings, and right aileron sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N116GD
- Reported as
- Gerald Donovan Rans S-16
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0101027
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 2
- Engine
- Teledyne Continental Motors IO-240-B, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 5, 2017
- Departed
- E98 · Los Lunas, NM
- Destination
- E98 · Los Lunas, NM
- Airport
- E98 · Mid Valley Airpark, runway 36, 4,332 × 37 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 26, 2017
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,402 total · 2 in this make and model · 1,370 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KE80, 8 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 847 KB 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.