- Date
- November 25, 1995, 16:50 local (21:50 UTC)
- Place
- Lacona, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N11081Champion 7ECA
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951125038389A
- Case key
- 39127
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 preflight/planning, and his failure to remain clear of obstacles, including a tree trunk.
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 ski-equipped airplane was departing from a runway, which was covered with wet snow and was 1,140 feet long. During the takeoff, the airplane was unable to clear an obstacle at the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that after he preflighted the airplane, he taxied to the end of the runway and performed a run-up. Everything was 'okay,' so he took off. According to the pilot, he didn't get enough airspeed to clear a 15' obstacle at the end of the runway, and the airplane hit a stump at the end. He said the airplane became airborne, but he couldn't regain control of the plane. The airplane then fell to the right and landed in a hedge row.
Factual narrative
On November 25, 1995, about 1650 eastern standard time, a Champion 7ECA, N11081, collided with trees during takeoff from a private airstrip near Lacona, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local training flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The ski-equipped airplane was departing from a runway, which was covered with wet snow, and was 1,140 feet long. During the takeoff, the airplane was unable to clear trees at the departure end of the runway. The runway was reported to have obstructions in all directions.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, after he pre-flighted the airplane, he taxied to the end of the runway and performed a run-up.
The pilot stated:
...everything was okay so I took off. I didn't get enough airspeed to clear a 15' obstacle at the end of my runway and hit a stump at the end...I became airborne but couldn't regain control of [the] airplane it fell out to the right and landed in a hedge row.
The pilot's total flight time was 150 hours, with 20 hours in this make and model airplane.
The reported local weather was; 4000 broken, visibility 10 miles, temperature 35 degrees F, winds calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N11081
- Reported as
- Champion 7ECA
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 97
- Engine
- Continental O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alen E. Zelinski
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1995
- Airport
- NONE · None, runway 27, 1,140 × 100 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 20 in this make and model · 100 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 36 °F
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 N11081 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.