- Date
- August 23, 2005, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mercer, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N184MHHanek Pitts S1S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Allegheny FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050823022429A
- Case key
- 62326
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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in an on ground encounter with crops. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition, as reported by the pilot.
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 airplane was departing from runway 27, a 2,000-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, turf runway. According to the pilot, a "u-shaped" cluster of trees surrounded the east end of the runway. As the airplane accelerated it began to bounce, and when the airplane passed the cluster of trees, it was exposed to a 10 knot crosswind from the north. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, entered a corn field and nosed over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. Winds reported at an airport that was located about 17 miles northeast of the accident site, about 15 minutes prior to the accident, were from 360 degrees at 6 knots. Winds reported about 5 minutes after the accident, were calm.
Factual narrative
On August 23, 2005, about 1330 eastern daylight time, an amateur built Pitts S1S, N184MH, was substantially damaged during takeoff from the Nelson's Run Airport, Mercer, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injures. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was departing from runway 27, a 2,000-foot-long, 250-foot-wide, turf runway.
According to the pilot, a "u-shaped" cluster of trees surrounded the east end of the runway. As the airplane accelerated it began to bounce, and when the airplane passed the cluster of trees, it was exposed to a 10 knot crosswind from the north. The airplane veered off the left side of the runway, entered a corn field and nosed over.
The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He reported 1,500 hours of total flight experience, which included 115 hours in make and model.
At 1315, winds reported at an airport that was located about 17 miles northeast of the accident site, were from 360 degrees at 6 knots. At 1335, the winds were reported as calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N184MH
- Reported as
- Hanek Pitts S1S
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 25
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Walter L. Riley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005 · 24 hours before
- Departed
- FKL · Franklin, PA
- Destination
- 39PN · Mercer, PA
- Airport
- 39PN · Nelson's Run, runway 27, 2,000 × 250 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
- 81
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2004
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 115 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- FKL, 17 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.