- Date
- July 15, 2019, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- York, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N987TWThomas Wild Avid
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190715011799A
- Case key
- 99846
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 inadvertent reduction of power during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the pilot’s inadvertent reduction of power was his lack of experience with his left hand on the control stick and right hand on the throttle.
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 he was transitioning to a new airplane. He stated that, during takeoff, it was the first time with his left hand on the control stick and right hand on the throttle. About 10 ft above the runway, he intended to pitch the nose up to initiate a climb. However, he inadvertently pulled back on the throttle control with his right hand. The airspeed decreased, the left wing aerodynamically stalled, and the airplane impacted an adjacent corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. 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 reported that, while transitioning to a new airplane, during takeoff for the first time with his left hand on the control stick and the right hand on the throttle, about 10 ft above the runway, he intended to pitch the nose up to initiate a climb. However, he inadvertently pulled back on the throttle control with his right hand. The airplane's airspeed decreased, the left wing aerodynamically stalled, and the airplane impacted an adjacent corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N987TW
- Reported as
- Thomas Wild Avid
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001412
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 41
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · February 9, 2019
- Departed
- 01SC · York, SC
- Destination
- 01SC · York, SC
- Airport
- 01SC · York, runway 36, 2,580 × 118 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 1 in this make and model · 700 as pilot in command · 5.1 in the last 90 days · 5.1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KUZA, 10 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 6, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 857 KB 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.