- Date
- September 25, 2007, 09:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Chino, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N33LQLangley Tri-Quickie
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 29, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070925023019A
- Case key
- 66749
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 premature rotation of the airplane on the takeoff roll as a result of the pilot failing the verify the elevator trim position, resulting in a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain during an aborted takeoff.
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 stated that while taking off on Runway 26R the airplane pitched up, which resulted in a tail strike. The pilot reported that he was able to "...[get] the nose down, but [the airplane] pitched up again for another tail strike." The pilot revealed that after he "chopped the power" the airplane drifted off the runway to the left and subsequently impacted terrain with its left wing, coming to rest in an inverted position approximately 70 feet off the south side of the runway. The pilot stated that no mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane prior to the takeoff. The pilot further stated that the airplane was equipped with a trim control (reflexor) on a push-pull cable that was mounted on the center console aft of the control stick, and operated opposite the "normal" nose up - aft, nose down - forward positions. The pilot reported that he didn't notice the trim position prior to flight and was not able to perform the required [trim] action "at a critical time." The pilot stated, "Failure to observe [the trim] position and reset [the trim] makes this accident 'pilot error.'" As a result of the impact forces both wings and canard were sheared off, the engine separated, and the fuselage was separated forward of the tail section.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that while taking off on Runway 26R the airplane pitched up, which resulted in a tail strike. The pilot reported that he was able to "...[get] the nose down, but [the airplane] pitched up again for another tail strike." The pilot revealed that after he "chopped the power" the airplane drifted off the runway to the left and subsequently impacted terrain with its left wing, coming to rest in an inverted position approximately 70 feet off the south side of the runway. The pilot stated that no mechanical anomalies were noted with the airplane prior to the takeoff. The pilot further stated that the airplane was equipped with a trim control (reflexor) on a push-pull cable that was mounted on the center console aft of the control stick, and operated opposite the "normal" nose up - aft, nose down - forward positions. The pilot reported that he didn't notice the trim position prior to flight and was not able to perform the required [trim] action "at a critical time." The pilot stated, "Failure to observe [the trim] position and reset [the trim] makes this accident 'pilot error.'" As a result of the impact forces both wings and canard were sheared off, the engine separated, and the fuselage was separated forward of the tail section.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N33LQ
- Reported as
- Langley Tri-Quickie
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Engine
- Revmaster 2100D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Larry L Severson
- Registered owner
- Larry L Severson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- CNO · China, CA
- Destination
- CNO · China, CA
- Airport
- CNO · Chino Airport, runway 26R, 4,858 × 150 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
- 67
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 14,278 total · 32 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- CNO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.