- Date
- July 7, 2018, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Corsicana, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N314CTRockwell 114
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180707024619A
- Case key
- 97716
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 the runway heading during a soft-field takeoff with a tailwind, which resulted in a rejected takeoff.
Findings · 6
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, while practicing a soft-field takeoff in light wind conditions, as the nosewheel lifted off the runway, he released the aft pressure on the yoke. The airplane "found" ground effect, and "all felt normal." The airplane then began to drift left, so he applied right rudder, but the rudder input had little effect. The landing gear was not yet retracted, so he landed the airplane on the grass off the end of the runway. During the ground roll, the left wing hit a tree and went through a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 100° at 5 knots. The pilot departed from runway 32.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a practice soft field take off in light wind conditions, as the airplane's nose wheel lifted off the runway, he released the aft pressure on the yoke. The airplane "found" ground effect and "all felt normal". The airplane then began to drift left, he applied right rudder, but the rudder input had little effect. Since the landing gear was not yet retracted, he landed the airplane on the grass off the end of the runway. During the ground roll, the left wing hit a tree and went through a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 100° at 5 knots. The pilot departed on runway 32.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N314CT
- Reported as
- Rockwell 114 (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 14120
- Built
- 1976
- Airframe hours
- 4,044
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-T4B5D, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 2017
- Departed
- GKY · Arlington, TX
- Destination
- CRS · Corsicana, TX
- Airport
- CRS · C David Campbell Field-Corsica, runway 32, 5,004 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 20, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,228 total · 707 in this make and model · 1,220 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KCRS
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.