- Date
- October 12, 2019, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lusby, MD
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N15WLLlewellyn, Warwinc W Vans RV-4
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191012019439A
- Case key
- 100443
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 lateral control during takeoff, which resulted in impact with terrain and a subsequent cartwheel.
Findings · 2
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 taking off and just after rotation, the right wing dropped, and the airplane started to drift right. The right wing struck the runway, followed by the nose and the left wing. The airplane cart wheeled and came to rest in grass adjacent to the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, while taking off, just after rotation, the right wing dropped, and the airplane started to drift right. The right wing struck the runway and the nose and the left wing then impacted terrain. The airplane cartwheeled and came to rest in the grass adjacent the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. An airport's automated weather observation station located 4 miles to the south reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 3 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 31.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15WL
- Reported as
- Llewellyn, Warwinc W Vans RV-4 (150)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1868
- Built
- 1994
- Airframe hours
- 790.02
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 23, 2019
- Departed
- MD50 · Lusby, MD
- Destination
- MD50 · Lusby, MD
- Airport
- MD50 · Chesapeake Ranch, runway 31, 2,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 17, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 608 total · 452 in this make and model · 544 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KNHK, 4 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2019, 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.