- Date
- July 25, 1995, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Elyria, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N888TQVarga TRI-Q200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950725026449A
- Case key
- 39016
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 decision to perform a staggered takeoff on the downwind side of the runway, which resulted in a wake turbulence encounter, loss of control in flight, and uncontrolled descent onto the runway. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in performing staggered takeoffs.
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 elected to make a staggered takeoff on the right side of the runway, with a left crosswind. He started his takeoff when the preceding airplane became airborne. Once airborne, and at an altitude of 20 to 30 feet, he encountered wake turbulence, and then sank uncontrollably onto the runway. The FAA reported that the pilot had minimal experience in performing staggered takeoffs.
Factual narrative
On July 25, 1995, at 1100 eastern daylight time, a Varga Tri-Q200, N888TQ, an experimental, homebuilt, airplane was destroyed during takeoff from Lorain County Airport, Elyria, Ohio. The private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The FAA reported that two airplanes planned to depart Lorain County Airport, destined for the EAA Fly-In, at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and with a planned intermediate fuel stop at Valparaiso, Indiana.
In the NTSB Accident Report, the pilot stated:
We departed as a flight of two in a stagger take-off. As the plane (Hiperbipe) ahead of me and to my left started to lift-off, I began my roll for take-off on the right side of the runway. When I reached the speed of 80 MPH, I rotated to take-off. The plane lifted to about 20 to 30 feet above the runway when my left wing dipped vertically down. I righted the plane for a moment and slid behind the Hiperbipe and was caught directly in his slipstream. At this point I had no stick-feeling or pressure. The plane sank to the ground and crashed into the ground on the left side of the runway. The Hiperbipe did not cross my path, nor did I cross behind him until I got into his slipstream. I believe the S.W. wind direction drifted his slipstream to my side of the runway causing the accident.
The pilot reported the winds were from the southwest at 12 knots.
The FAA reported that the pilot had minimal experience in performing staggered takeoffs.
According to the Airport Facility Directory, runway 25 was 5,000 feet log, 100 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N888TQ
- Reported as
- Varga TRI-Q200
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2888
- Airframe hours
- 122
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William C. Varga
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 22G
- Destination
- VPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Airport
- 22G · Lorain County Regional, runway 25, 5,000 × 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
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 524 total · 122 in this make and model · 524 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLE, 12 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.