- Date
- May 21, 2009, 10:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Healdsburg, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N29DYWesterhout/Gagnier Escapade
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 73887
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/lateral control during the initial climb.
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 pilot said he had completed an uneventful flight earlier in the day. On the accident flight, he performed an engine run-up, which included a magneto check with no mechanical anomalies encountered. He taxied to the active runway (runway 13), and noted the winds were light about 5 knots from the south. The takeoff roll was normal, and they lifted off at 50 mph. After rotation, the airplane started a left bank for no apparent reason. The pilot did not pull back on the control stick; however, he attempted to align the airplane with the runway. He noted that the airplane did not respond to his roll input and continued in the left bank. The pilot also stated that the airplane had started a slight climb just prior to impacting the vineyard. After the initial contact with the vineyard, the airplane became airborne again and then dropped back into the vineyard. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane and he believes that the winds may have shifted to more of a south wind at the time of the loss of control event. Reported winds at the time were from 140 degrees at 5 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he had completed an uneventful flight earlier in the day. On the accident flight, he performed an engine run-up, which included a magneto check with no mechanical anomalies encountered. He taxied to the active runway (runway 13), and noted the winds were light, about 5 knots from the south. The takeoff roll was normal, and they lifted off at 50 mph. After rotation, the airplane started a left bank for no apparent reason. The pilot did not pull back on the control stick; however, he attempted to align the airplane with the runway. He noted that the airplane did not respond to his input and continued in the left bank. The pilot also stated that the airplane had started a slight climb just prior to impacting a vineyard. After the initial contact with the vineyard, the airplane became airborne again and then dropped back into the vineyard. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane and he believes that the winds may have shifted to more of a south wind at the time of the loss of control event. Reported winds at the time were from 140 degrees at 5 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29DY
- Reported as
- Westerhout/Gagnier Escapade
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JAESC 012
- Airframe hours
- 70
- Engine
- Rotax ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Daniel York
- Registered owner
- Daniel York
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 5, 2009 · 9 hours before
- Departed
- O31 · Healdsburg, CA
- Destination
- O31 · Healdsburg, CA
- Airport
- O31 · Healdsburg Municipal Airport, runway 13, 2,707 × 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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 14, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 172 total · 17 in this make and model · 94 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- STS, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.