- Date
- June 14, 2006, 19:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Caribou, ME
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N248PCTheordore Jankowski Rans S-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Portland, ME
- FAA report
- 20060614016399A
- Case key
- 63924
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 which resulted in a subsequent impact with trees. A factor in the accident was the unmowed area of vegetation.
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 initiated a takeoff from a turf runway. After the airplane became airborne it drifted to the left over an approximately 2-foot tall area of unmowed vegetation. The left main landing gear entered the top of the vegetation, the pilot "fought it off," and the airplane broke free. He then pushed forward on the control stick to keep from reaching a critical angle of attack and the landing gear reentered the vegetation once again. The pilot broke free for a second time, and began to climb. He then realized that he was approaching trees, but thought that he would be able to climb above them. Moments later the right wing struck the top of a tree, the airplane pivoted to the right and impacted the ground, seriously injuring the pilot and substantially damaging the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot initiated a takeoff from a turf runway. After the airplane became airborne it drifted to the left over an approximately 2-foot tall area of unmowed vegetation. The left main landing gear entered the top of the vegetation, the pilot "fought it off," and the airplane broke free. He then pushed forward on the control stick to keep from reaching a critical angle of attack and the landing gear reentered the vegetation once again. The pilot broke free for a second time, and began to climb. He then realized that he was approaching trees, but thought that he would be able to climb above them. Moments later the right wing struck the top of a tree, the airplane pivoted to the right and impacted the ground, seriously injuring the pilot and substantially damaging the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N248PC
- Reported as
- Theordore Jankowski Rans S-12
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0994515
- Airframe hours
- 134
- Engine
- Rotax 582, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2005 · 22 hours before
- Departed
- Caribou, ME
- Destination
- Presque Isle, ME
- Airport
- runway 18, 1,500 × 50 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
- 51
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 30 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- CAR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.