- Date
- August 10, 2019, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N62644Consolidated Vultee BT13
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190810013669A
- Case key
- 100044
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 takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and the left main landing gear collapsing.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff, the airplane encountered a wind gust and veered left. The airplane exited the runway onto adjacent grass, and the left main landing gear collapsed. 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 airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 320° at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots and variable from 290° to 350°. The airplane was departing from runway 3.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during takeoff, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and veered left. The airplane exited the runway onto the adjacent grass and the left main landing gear collapsed. 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 airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 320° at 8 knots, gusting to 17 knots and variable from 290° to 350°. The airplane was departing from runway 3.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62644
- Reported as
- Consolidated Vultee BT13
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 79-1287
- Built
- 1942
- Airframe hours
- 1,687.9
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985 SERIES, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2019
- Departed
- 3G3 · Wadsworth, OH
- Destination
- FKL · Franklin, PA
- Airport
- FKL · Venango Rgnl, runway 03, 5,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- 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
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 19, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 100 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KFKL
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 3, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.