- Date
- August 26, 1987, 16:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Townsend, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N252BCCanton Rutan Long
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 6, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870826066109A
- Case key
- 40687
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During takeoff roll the pilot noted sluggish rotation performance and retarded the throttle to abort the takeoff. When he reduced power the aircraft rotated. He reapplied full power and abrupt aft stick, to execute rapid rotation and lift off. The hand grip separated from the control stick. He attempted to abort the takeoff near the end of the runway. The aircraft departed the end of the runway, struck a ditch, crossed a road and impacted in a field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N252BC
- Reported as
- Canton Rutan Long
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1387
- Airframe hours
- 124
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bob G. Caton
- Registered owner
- Bob G. Gaton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 21, 1986
- Airport
- 0S9 · Jefferson County, runway 9, 3,300 × 80 ft, grass/turf
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 167 total · 124 in this make and model · 167 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CLM, 27 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.