- Date
- August 17, 2008, 07:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Maricopa, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N707TNAeros Venture
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080817851859A
- Case key
- 68827
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing and subsequent takeoff attempt, and his misjudging of the required takeoff distance. The soft terrain was a factor.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The student sport pilot was flying a passenger on a local area flight when he experienced what he described as a "mushy" spot in the engine at approximately 4,500 revolutions per minute. The student pilot landed in the desert to check the engine's spark plugs. After he verified that the spark plugs were fine and performed another run up with no anomalies noted, the student pilot attempted to takeoff. As the aircraft was gaining ground speed, the student pilot saw trees and a gully quickly approaching. He decided that the aircraft would not be able to clear the trees so he reduced power and applied the brakes. The aircraft impacted the gully, the nose gear broke, and the aircraft pitched down and settled to one side. During the accident sequence, the compression strut was damaged and the mast support was bent. The student pilot indicated that he misjudged the hardness of the soil and the terrain was softer than he initially thought.
Factual narrative
The student sport pilot was flying a passenger on a local area flight when he experienced what he described as a "mushy" spot in the engine at approximately 4,500 revolutions per minute. The student pilot landed in the desert to check the engine's spark plugs. After he verified that the spark plugs were fine and performed another run up with no anomalies noted, the student pilot attempted to takeoff. As the aircraft was gaining ground speed, the student pilot saw trees and a gully quickly approaching. He decided that the aircraft would not be able to clear the trees so he reduced power and applied the brakes. The aircraft impacted the gully, the nose gear broke, and the aircraft pitched down and settled to one side. During the accident sequence, the compression strut was damaged and the mast support was bent. The student pilot indicated that he misjudged the hardness of the soil and the terrain was softer than he initially thought. According to 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 61.89, a student pilot may not act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft that is carrying a passenger.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N707TN
- Reported as
- Aeros Venture
- Category
- Weight-shift
- Serial number
- 896062
- Engine
- Hirth 2704, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul Stueland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Special light-sport (Special); Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- A39 · Maricopa, AZ
- Destination
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
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
- 40
- Certificates
- Student, Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Flight hours
- 96 total · 94 in this make and model · 34 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- CGZ
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.