- Date
- August 19, 1989, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clermont, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N127FBCocchiarella Buccaneer II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890819030439A
- Case key
- 32482
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot, which resulted in a subsequent collison with the ground, when the acft would not climb after takeoff. The high obstructions (trees) and high density altitude were considered to be contributing factors.
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 plt elected to takeoff from a 1100 ft rwy on a hot/humid day with the acft loaded near its max weight limit. He stated that when the speed was adequate, he rotated the acft & it lifted off. After lift-off, he realized the acft would not clear a tree line near the end of the rwy. He initiated a turn to avoid the trees, which resulted in loss of the vertical component of lift. Subsequently, the acft descended, impacted in a vacant field & was damaged. The eng operated normally drg a post-acdnt check. The temp, dew point & elevation at the airstrip were 90 deg, 73 deg & 30 ft, respectively. Aprx 25 mi east at orlando (elev 96'), the density altitude was about 2200 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N127FB
- Reported as
- Cocchiarella Buccaneer II (BUCCANEER)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- B2A 017
- Engine
- Rotax 532LC, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Airport
- NONE · Flying Gators Ultalight, runway 5, 1,100 × 70 ft, grass/turf
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
- 33
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 201 total · 120 in this make and model · 153 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 4 knots, gusting 4
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Observed at
- MCO, 25 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.