# NTSB SEA06LA169: Curtiss-Wright Travel Air C-4000, N6298, Elmira, OR, August 27, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 27, 2006, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Elmira, OR - Coordinates: 44.061389, -123.390274 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.0614&lon=-123.3903&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 31, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Portland FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64416 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA06LA169 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64416/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA06LA169 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall speed (Vs) while turning to avoid trees along the side of the runway during the initial climbout after takeoff. Factors include, a variable wind that became a tailwind, and trees growing near the side of the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - airspeed(vs) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - weather condition - variable wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, takeoff - initial climb - object - tree(s) (contributing factor) ## Analysis At the time the pilot took off, the winds were variable in direction and blowing between five and ten knots. During the takeoff roll, liftoff, and initial climb, the aircraft performed normally, but as it reached tree-top level, the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the aircraft stopped climbing and began to sink. At the same time, the aircraft drifted toward the side of the 60-foot wide runway, and this resulted in the pilot having to turn twice in order to avoid trees growing near the side of the runway. During the second turn, the pilot failed to maintain an airspeed above stall speed, and therefore the aircraft stalled, rolled to the left, and descended into the house. No evidence of any problem with the engine or flight controls were found during the post-accident inspection of the aircraft, and the pilot stated that he felt the engine was running fine, and that there did not seem to be any problems with the flight controls. ## Factual narrative On August 27, 2006, approximately 1400 Pacific daylight time, a Curtiss Wright Travel Air C-4000, N6298, impacted a house and two automobiles during the initial climb out after taking off from Crow-Mag Airstrip, Elmira, Oregon. The pilot received serious injuries, his passenger received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which is owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which was departing for Florence, Oregon, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to witnesses, the aircraft, which was taking off to the north, lifted off in about 600 to 800 feet, and initially climbed straight ahead. It then started drifting to the right, and appeared to increase its pitch angle as it neared some nearby trees. Soon thereafter, the nose of the aircraft dropped, it rolled to the left, and then descended into the roof of a house. After the wing of the aircraft hit the house, it cartwheeled into the parked automobiles. According to the pilot, at the time of the takeoff, the winds were variable in direction and blowing between five and ten knots. The pilot said that after talking with other pilots more familiar with the field then him, he decided to take off to the north. He said that during the takeoff roll, lift off, and initial climb, the aircraft appeared to perform normally, but as he reached tree-top level, the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the aircraft stopped climbing and began to sink. He said that the aircraft drifted toward the right side of the 60-foot wide runway, and this resulted in him having to turn twice to avoid trees growing near the runway. During the second turn, the airspeed of the aircraft slowed, it stalled, rolled to the left, and descended into the house. The pilot stated that he felt the engine was running fine, and that there was no problem with the flight controls. In addition, another pilot, that owns and flies an aircraft with a similar engine, and who was standing near the runway at the time of the takeoff, said that the engine sounded like it was operating normally. During the investigation it was determined that when the pilot landed at Crow-Mag Airstrip earlier in the day, to participate in an informal gathering of classic aircraft, he inadvertently departed the side of the runway and allowed the lower right wing of the aircraft to come in contact with a number of steel rods that where sticking out of the ground. During that sequence of events, the cloth covering on the bottom of the right wing was ripped/torn in several places. While the pilot was at the gathering, non-approved "repairs" were made to those tears (covered by duct tape), but according to the FAA Inspector who viewed the aircraft at the scene, there was no clear evidence that any of those "repairs" had failed, or that the function of the airfoil had been degraded. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6298](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6298), registered now, S/N 745, built 1929 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Curtiss-Wright Travel Air C-4000 - Registry model: [Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR C-4000](https://openairdocs.org/model/curtiss-wright-travel-air-c-4000) (registry code 2621806) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 745 - Airframe hours: 5803 - Engines: Continental W670-6N 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: William R. Kirk - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2006, 30 hours before - Departed: Elmira, OR - Destination: 6S2, Florence, OR - Airport: Crow-Mag Airstrip, runway 30, 3,200 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: serious; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2004; seat: rear; flight hours: 4,500 total, 200 in this make and model, 4,200 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 5 knots, gusting 10 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060827017189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060827017189A), Aug 27, 2006: Curtis TRVAIRC4000, Elmira, OR, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. (-23) Pilot, with female passenger in front seat, initiated take-off to the north on grass 3000 foot by 50 foot wide runway. The aircraft left ground in… ## Other investigations on N6298 (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB SEA03LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA062), Apr 12, 2003: Curtiss-Wright Travel Air C-4000 (N6298), Florence, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: Pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors include rough terrain. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.