- Date
- February 5, 2009, 11:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N846BHSeher Bearhawk
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA Reno FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090205001239A
- Case key
- 73323
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident were a crosswind and the pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff.
Findings · 5
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 pilot was taking off with a right crosswind. As the tailwheel lifted off the asphalt runway, the airplane started veering to the left. He added right rudder and aileron in an attempt to correct back to the runway heading. As he was advancing the power through mid-range, the airplane continued veering to the left. He added full power, and tried to lift off before departing the runway surface. As the airplane exited the runway, the pilot reduced the power to idle. The airplane was slowing to a stop off the end of the runway when it encountered a small dip in the terrain and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and rudder. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The pilot noted that shortly after the accident the winds picked up to 20 knots, and opined that he possibly encountered a strong gust.
Factual narrative
The pilot was taking off with a right crosswind. As the tail wheel lifted off the runway, the airplane started veering to the left. He added right rudder and aileron in an attempt to correct back to the runway heading. As he was advancing the power through the mid-range, the airplane continued veering to the left. He added full power, and tried to lift off before departing the runway surface. As the airplane exited the runway, the pilot reduced the power to idle. The airplane was slowing to a stop when it encountered a small dip in the terrain and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and rudder. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airframe, flight controls, or engine. The pilot noted that shortly after the accident the winds picked up to 20 knots, and opined that he possible encountered a strong gust.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N846BH
- Reported as
- Seher Bearhawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 066-127/128-931
- Airframe hours
- 3
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-EXP, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Jacob Scott Seher
- Registered owner
- Jacob Scott Seher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special); Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 23, 2009 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- 4SD · Reno, NV
- Destination
- 4SD · Reno, NV
- Airport
- 4SD · Reno Stead, runway 08, 7,608 × 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 7, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,780 total · 3 in this make and model · 17,500 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 16,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.84 inHg
- Observed at
- KRNO, 11 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.