- Date
- February 14, 1998, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Suffolk, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N426AGGoins Sonerai II LTS
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980214001249A
- Case key
- 45402
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 the initial takeoff climb. Factors related to the accident were habit interference, the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model, and the trees.
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 his first flight in the homebuilt airplane. Upon liftoff, the airplane began a turn to the right. The pilot added right rudder and the airplane turned further right. To counteract the right turn, the pilot added left aileron. The airplane collided with trees and then descended out of control to the ground. The propeller rotated counterclockwise (CCW) as viewed from behind and required left rudder on takeoff. Other airplanes have propellers which rotate clockwise when viewed from behind and require right rudder for takeoff. The pilot reported a total time of 302 hours. The investigation was unable to substantiate any previous flight time for the pilot with airplanes where the propeller rotated CCW as viewed from behind.
Factual narrative
On February 14, 1998, about 1105 eastern standard time, a homebuilt Sonerai II LTS, N426AG, was substantially during the initial takeoff climb from the Suffolk Municipal Airport, Suffolk, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot stated that this was his first flight in the accident airplane. During the initial takeoff climb from Runway 33, the pilot applied "excessive" right rudder, and the airplane entered a descending right turn. To correct for the turn the pilot applied left aileron. The airplane struck trees off the right side of runway 33, and fell to the ground.
Installed in the airplane, was a non-certified, Great Plains Aircraft conversion, Volkswagen engine. A representative for the engine supplier stated that the propeller, turns in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed from the cockpit of the airplane, and would require the application of left rudder to compensate for turning tendency's.
Review of Federal Aviation Administration (AC 61-23C), Pilot's Handbook Of Aeronautical Knowledge, stated in part:
"...An airplane propeller spinning clockwise, as seen from the rear, produces forces that tend to twist or rotate the airplane in the opposite direction, thus turning the airplane to the left...During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path."
The pilot reported a total time of 302 hours in the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report. The investigation was unable to document any previous flight time in airplanes where the propeller rotated counter-clockwise as viewed from behind.
The winds reported from an airfield 28 nautical miles to the northeast, at 1052 were, 080 degrees at 11 knots.
The pilot reported that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N426AG
- Reported as
- Goins Sonerai II LTS (SONERAI II)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 061892263
- Airframe hours
- 3
- Engine
- Volkswagen 2180CC TYPE 1, 70 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Alan R Goins
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- SFQ
- Airport
- SFQ · Suffolk Municipal Airport, runway 33, 3,650 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 302 total · 302 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PHF, 28 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.