- Date
- September 26, 2002, 18:34 local (Sep 27, 2002, 01:34 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6124UPaige Kolb MK III
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020926026059A
- Case key
- 55780
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 student pilot's excessive rotation and failure to obtain/maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, resulting in a stall.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The experimental airplane collided with the runway during an attempted takeoff. During rotation, the airplane excessively pitched up and began a steep climb. After reaching about 25 to 50 feet above ground level, the airplane settled back to the runway, hitting the surface hard. After touchdown, the airplane accelerated and veered off to the left side of the runway. The student pilot did not have instruction or authorization to act as pilot-in-command of the airplane. The pilot stated that he was engaged in a process of self-instruction.
Factual narrative
On September 26, 2002, at 1834 Pacific daylight time, a Paige Kolb MK III experimental airplane, N6124U, collided with the runway during an attempted takeoff at the Fresno-Chandler Downtown Airport, Fresno, California. The student pilot was operating the airplane on a local personal flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed.
During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board, a witness, who was also a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, stated that he saw the homebuilt airplane begin a takeoff roll on runway 30R. During rotation, the airplane excessively pitched up and began a steep climb. After reaching about 25 to 50 feet above ground level, the airplane settled back to the runway, hitting the surface hard. Upon touchdown, the airplane was slightly nose high and had a forward velocity. The airplane appeared to accelerate after touchdown and continued to veer off to the left of the runway.
The FAA inspector further stated that the student pilot did not have instruction or authorization to act as pilot-in-command of the airplane. The pilot told him that he was engaged in a process of self-instruction. The pilot also revealed to him that he had performed mechanical work including the assembly of the airplane, yet he did not hold a repairman or mechanic certificate.
Despite several attempts by the Safety Board, the pilot failed to submit a NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6124U
- Reported as
- Paige Kolb MK III
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- M3-304
- Engine
- Bombardier ROTAX, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Matthew Potter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- FCH · Fresno, CA
- Destination
- FCH · Fresno, CA
- Airport
- FCH · Fresno-Chandler Downtown Airpo, runway 30R, 3,006 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- Student pilot
- Age
- 34
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 2 in this make and model · 52 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.69 inHg
- Observed at
- KFAT, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.