- Date
- March 3, 1996, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Key West, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N68883Helio H-295
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 9, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960303003439A
- Case key
- 37987
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 compensation for wind conditions during lift-off, which resulted in the right wingtip contacting the runway. The gusty crosswind was a related factor.
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 pilot was taking off on runway 9. He stated that after the airplane became airborne, a strong gust of wind from the left caused it to roll to the right. The right wing tip contacted the runway followed by the left wing tip. The airplane then pivoted on the left wing tip, and the pilot reduced the throttle after rolling to a wings level attitude. The airplane came to rest upright on a taxiway. A weather observation taken about 11 minutes after the accident indicated the wind was from 030 degrees at 13 knots with gust to 21 knots.
Factual narrative
On March 3, 1996, about 0945 eastern standard time, a Helio Aircraft H-295, N68883, experienced an in-flight loss of control shortly after takeoff from the Key West International Airport, Key West, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a VFR flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that after the airplane became airborne, a strong gust of wind from the left caused the airplane to roll to the right. The right wing tip then contacted the runway followed by the left wing tip. The airplane pivoted twice on the left wing tip and the pilot reduced the throttle after rolling to a wings level attitude. The airplane came to rest on a taxiway.
A weather observation taken about 11 minutes after the accident indicates that the wind was from 030 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 21 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N68883
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1477
- Airframe hours
- 2,213
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480-G1A6, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert T. Vincent
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 12, 1995 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- EYW
- Destination
- LEE · Leesburg, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- EYW · Keywest International, runway 9, 4,800 × 100 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
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 721 total · 641 in this make and model · 721 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EYW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N68883 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.