- Date
- May 12, 2009, 13:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place
- Hadley, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N232PFFagan BearHawk
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090512022319A
- Case key
- 73821
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 gusting crosswinds during takeoff.
Findings · 4
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 reported that prior to departure in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, the windsock was indicating strong winds perpendicular to the runway with variable gusts. He stated that he waited until he saw a favorable (headwind) gust and then applied takeoff power. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the right, which lifted the right wing and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane pivoted to the left, veered off the runway surface, and impacted a dirt berm. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. The nearest weather reporting station is located 38 nautical miles south of the accident airport, and was reporting winds at the time of the accident at 3.3 miles per hour (mph) gusting to 14.3 mph.
Factual narrative
In a written statement, the pilot reported that prior to departure in his tailwheel-equipped airplane, he observed the windsock. It was indicating strong winds perpendicular to the runway and variable gusts. He stated that he waited until he saw a favorable (headwind) gust and then applied takeoff power. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a strong gust of wind from the right, which lifted the right wing and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane pivoted to the left, veered off the runway surface, and impacted a dirt berm. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. The nearest weather reporting station, located 38 nautical miles south of the accident airport, reported winds at the time of the accident were at 3.3 miles per hour (mph) gusting to 14.3 mph.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N232PF
- Reported as
- Fagan BearHawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- BH232-7
- Airframe hours
- 760
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Patrick J. Fagan
- Registered owner
- Patrick J. Fagan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 1, 2008 · 75 hours before
- Departed
- A36 · Hadley, NV
- Destination
- A36 · Hadley, NV
- Airport
- A36 · Round Mountain, runway 17, 6,776 × 60 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 22, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,180 total · 760 in this make and model · 3,552 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Observed at
- TPH, 38 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 648 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.