# NTSB LAX06LA266: Saloff Sonerai Iilt, N90420, Williams, AZ, August 18, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 18, 2006, 16:55 local (23:55 UTC) - Place: Williams, AZ - Coordinates: 35.302223, -112.193336 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.3022&lon=-112.1933&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 64366 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX06LA266 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64366/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX06LA266 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, takeoff - roll/run - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - gusts - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, takeoff - roll/run - object - other person ## Analysis The airplane veered off the runway during the takeoff ground roll and collided with a bystander, who was fatally injured. The pilot was conducting his first flight in the airplane. About 1,000 feet down the runway, at 40 miles per hour, the airplane was struck by a gust of wind that pushed it to the left of the runway. The pilot said that while correcting back to the runway, he overcorrected, and the airplane began to depart the right side of the runway. The pilot said he was unable to regain control prior to departing the runway surface. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. ## Factual narrative On August 18, 2006, about 1655 mountain daylight time, an experimental Saloff Sonerai IILT airplane, N90420, veered off the runway during the takeoff roll and collided with a bystander who was 15 feet from the runway's edge at H.A. Clark Memorial Field Airport (CMR), Williams, Arizona. The commercial pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The airplane sustained minor damage to the propeller blades. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The bystander sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed. A detective from the Williams Police Department interviewed the pilot. The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane within the last week. About 2 days prior to the accident, he conducted several fast taxi runs, and the accident flight was his first flight in the airplane. The airplane was about 1,000 feet down the runway, at 40 miles per hour (mph), when the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The airplane was pushed to the left and the pilot attempted to correct back to the runway. The airplane started to go to the right of the runway, and struck a runway light before he stopped the airplane. He had not realized that he had struck anyone, but saw that the propeller blades were shattered. The pilot reported that the winds were from the north about 5 knots, and that he was taking off to the north. According to the responding sergeant, witnesses reported that they were standing 15 feet beyond the runway edge with the pilot's spouse, and that she was taking photographs of the pilot during the takeoff roll. When the airplane veered towards the right in their direction, the witnesses moved out of the airplane's path; however, the pilot's spouse was not able to move out of the way and was struck by the airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N90420](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N90420-2012-08-21), registration cancelled 2012-08-21, S/N 01606LT, built 1984 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Saloff Sonerai IILT - Registry model: [Saloff Stan A SONERAI IILT](https://openairdocs.org/model/saloff-stan-a-sonerai-iilt) (registry code 056599S) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Revmaster 2100](https://openairdocs.org/engine/revmaster-2100) (registry code 52550, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 01606LT - Airframe hours: 450 - Engines: Revmaster R2100 reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, August 1, 2006 - Departed: CMR, Williams, AZ - Destination: CMR, Williams, AZ - Airport: CMR, H.A. Clark Memorial Field Airp, runway 36, 5,992 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review July 1, 2006; seat: rear; flight hours: 2,500 total, 2,311 as pilot in command, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: FLG, 28 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060818017729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060818017729A), Aug 18, 2006: Amtr SONERAI2LT, Williams, AZ, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) On August 18, 2006, at 1655 MST, experienced sonerai iilt airplane, N90420, experienced a loss of directional control on the takeoff roll from runway 36… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.