- Date
- October 15, 1998, 18:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place
- Kenton, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5DZZeidler Sonerai II
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981015035519A
- Case key
- 45125
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 premature rotation and failure to obtain/maintain airspeed during the takeoff, which resulted in a stall and impact with the ground. Factors in this accident were the pilot's lack of total experience in tail-wheeled aircraft, and the nose high elevator trim setting.
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 said he initiated his first takeoff in the tail-wheeled airplane with the elevator trim set at a nose high attitude, and the airplane lifted off the runway early. When the airplane was 5 to 10 feet above the ground, all visual relationship with runway was lost due to the airplane's limited visibility. The pilot further stated that when airplane broke free of ground effect, it stalled and impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed 90 hours of total flight experience, all in tricycle gear aircraft.
Factual narrative
On October 15, 1998, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Sonerai II, N5DZ, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff from the Hardin County Airport (I95), Kenton, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
In a written statement the pilot said the accident flight was his first flight in the tail-wheeled airplane. After several taxi trips on the runway to establish the airplane's ground handling characteristics, and to familiarize himself with the "visual perspective," a takeoff was initiated. The pilot stated the elevator trim was at a "too nose high attitude." The pilot further stated:
"...the aircraft became light on the wheels quite early...once the aircraft was 5-10 feet above the ground, all visual relationship with runway was lost due to the aircraft's limited visibility. Airspeed was 45-50 mph as the airplane ascended to about 20 feet and broke free of ground effect. (Aircraft stall speed is 55-60 mph) At which time the plane stalled straight level and impacted the ground....
Examination of the wreckage by an FAA Inspector did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities of the airframe or engine.
A review of the pilot's logbook revealed 90 hours of total flight experience, all in tricycle gear aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5DZ
- Reported as
- Zeidler Sonerai II
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 223
- Airframe hours
- 222
- Engine
- Hapi 60-2DM, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Timothy A. Abke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 1998 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- I95
- Airport
- I95 · Hardin County, runway 22, 4,203 × 75 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 26 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AOH, 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.