- Date
- April 10, 2008, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winter Springs, FL
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N815ZWilliam E. Furr SeaRey
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20080410836299A
- Case key
- 67802
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 inadequate preflight inspection of the airplane.
Findings · 3
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 stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane but did not use a checklist. He performed "preflight checks", an "engine run-up" and checked the flight controls before takeoff. During the takeoff run while flying on the step before lifting off, "something let go and all of a sudden the aircraft was upside down." He further stated, "He did a poor job inspecting this aircraft" and he "...overlooked" the missing nut from the right horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the forward attach point of the right horizontal stabilizer was not secured. The attach nylon lock nut was missing and the bolt which secures the right horizontal stabilizer was backed out of the forward attach point .
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane but did not use a checklist. He performed "preflight checks", an "engine run-up" and checked the flight controls before takeoff. During the takeoff run while flying on the step before lifting off, "something let go and all of a sudden the aircraft was upside down." He further stated, "He did a poor job inspecting this aircraft" and he "...overlooked" the missing nut from the right horizontal stabilizer.
Postaccident inspection of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed the forward attach point of the right horizontal stabilizer was not secured. The attach nylon lock nut was missing and the bolt which secures the right horizontal stabilizer was backed out of the forward attach point .
Aircraft
- Registration
- N815Z
- Reported as
- William E. Furr SeaRey
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- IDK044
- Airframe hours
- 251
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William E. Furr
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 1, 2008 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- Winter Springs, FL
- Destination
- Polk City, FL
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
- 55
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 343 total · 261 in this make and model · 270 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.