- Date
- September 1, 2018, 09:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Porterville, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N575DGEggleston Daniel S-18 Thorp
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180901012879A
- Case key
- 98226
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 the takeoff roll.
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 pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff, he advanced the throttle to full power, maintained the runway centerline, and began to raise the tail. He added that, about 60 mph, the airplane suddenly turned left. He applied full right rudder to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane continued to veer left, exited the runway into plowed dirt, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer. 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 variable at 3 knots. The pilot was departing from runway 30.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff, he advanced the throttle to full power, maintained the runway centerline, and began to raise the tail. He added that about 60 mph, the airplane suddenly turned left. He applied full right rudder to no avail. Subsequently, the airplane continued to veer left, exited the runway into plowed dirt, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and vertical stabilizer. 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 variable at 3 knots. The pilot was departing on runway 30.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N575DG
- Reported as
- Eggleston Daniel S-18 Thorp
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 218
- Built
- 2007
- Airframe hours
- 348.4
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 21, 2018
- Departed
- O42 · Woodlake, CA
- Destination
- PTV · Porterville, CA
- Airport
- PTV · Porterville Muni, runway 30, 5,960 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, 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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 209 total · 12 in this make and model · 160 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KPTV
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.