- Date
- July 6, 2018, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Waunakee, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N114JMChampion 8GCBC
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180706009209A
- Case key
- 97714
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 clearance from tall corn along the edge of the airstrip during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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 tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing at a private grass airstrip, he observed 4-ft-tall corn surrounding the airstrip. He added that, during landing, the aileron spades "nicked a few blades of corn" and that the corn was actually 8 to 10 ft tall. The pilot back taxied and decided to take off. During takeoff, the right wing struck a row of corn, which pulled the airplane into the corn. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while landing at a private grass airstrip, he observed corn that was about 4 ft high surrounding the airstrip. He added that during landing, the aileron spades "nicked a few blades of corn", and that the corn was actually 8 to 10 ft high. The pilot back taxied and decided to take off. During takeoff, the right wing struck a row of corn, which pulled the airplane into the corn, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N114JM
- Reported as
- Champion 8GCBC (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 481-2006
- Built
- 2006
- Airframe hours
- 898
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 3, 2018
- Departed
- 6P3 · Waunakee, WI
- Destination
- C29 · Middleton, WI
- Airport
- PVT · Private, runway 06, 1,800 × 40 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- August 26, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 6,240 total · 131 in this make and model · 5,880 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- KRYV, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2018, 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.