- Date
- February 25, 2018, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Apopka, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N194CTCostruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna Astore
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180225003099A
- Case key
- 96790
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 student 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 solo student pilot reported that, during takeoff, as he applied full power, the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to recover, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The solo student pilot reported that, during takeoff, as he applied full power, the airplane veered to the left. He attempted to recover, but the airplane exited the left side of the runway and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, and both wings. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N194CT
- Reported as
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna Astore (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 039
- Built
- 2015
- Airframe hours
- 156
- Engine
- Rotax 914 Turbo, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 2017
- Departed
- X04 · Apopka, FL
- Destination
- X04 · Apopka, FL
- Airport
- X04 · Orlando Apopka, runway 15, 3,987 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Data recorder, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, 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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 160 total · 44 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KORL, 16 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 4, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 817 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.