- Date
- August 11, 2018, 13:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Akron, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N527JTBushby Mustang II
- 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
- 20180811015169A
- Case key
- 98059
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 improper preflight planning that did not identify the unserviceable runway; his subsequent decision to attempt to takeoff from the rough, grassy runway; and his selection of an abort point with insufficient runway remaining, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Findings · 4
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 flying over the grass runway, it appeared "rough but serviceable." During landing, he found the surface was extremely rough with tall weeds. During the subsequent departure, acceleration was "less than normal" due to the vegetation. When the airplane reached the pilot's planned abort point for the runway, he realized that he had misjudged the abort point. He initially thought his selected abort point was about 800 to 1,000 ft before the end of the runway, but it was about 100 to 200 ft before the end of the runway. The airplane overran the runway, crossed a road, and struck a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport, in part, stated: "[Runways] not recommended for [takeoff or landing]."
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while flying over the grass runway, it appeared "rough but serviceable". During landing, he found the surface was extremely rough with tall weeds. During departure, acceleration was "less than normal" due to the vegetation. When the airplane reached the pilot's planned abort point, the pilot realized that he had misjudged the abort point for the runway. He initially thought his selected abort point was about 800 to 1,000 ft before the end of the runway, but, was about 100 to 200 ft before the end of the runway. The airplane overran the runway, crossed a road, and struck a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport, in part stated: "[Runways] not recommended for [takeoff or landing]."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N527JT
- Reported as
- Bushby Mustang II (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 129
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 278.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bald Eagle Aviation Llc
- Registered owner
- Bald Eagle Aviation Llc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 4, 2017
- Departed
- 07V · La Veta, CO
- Destination
- 5V6 · Akron, CO
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 5V6 · Gebauer, runway 26, 3,000 × 70 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed
- Last flight review
- May 31, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,280 total · 154 in this make and model · 3,034 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KAKO, 7 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.7 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.