- Date
- April 29, 2018, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Eagle Lake, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N66SKSeno Louis C SR KIS
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180429004339A
- Case key
- 97138
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 in gusting crosswind conditions.
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
According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a left crosswind gust, and the right wing struck the grass on the right side of the runway. The airplane pivoted about the right wing, and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were 12-knot wind gusts about the time of the accident. The METAR nearest the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 140° at 6 knots, gusting to 13 knots. The takeoff roll was initiated on runway 17. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a left crosswind gust and the right wing struck the grass on the right side of the runway. The airplane pivoted about the right wing and the propeller struck the ground. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar. The pilot reported that there were 12 knot wind gusts about the time of the accident. The METAR nearest the accident site reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 140° at 6 knots, gusting to 13 knots. The takeoff roll was initiated on runway 17. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66SK
- Reported as
- Seno Louis C SR KIS (TR-1)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 021
- Built
- 1996
- Airframe hours
- 350
- Engine
- 118 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2018
- Departed
- ELA · Eagle Lake, TX
- Destination
- ELA · Eagle Lake, TX
- Airport
- ELA · Eagle Lake, runway 17, 3,801 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 2, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 36 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 60 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KTME, 25 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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.