- Date
- October 27, 2010, 11:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place
- Benson, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N75784Medway Raven
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Airport occurrence
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 16, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101027050649A
- Case key
- 77717
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 evaluation of the runway condition and failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
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 stated that, as he taxied the trike onto the runway and toward the centerline, it encountered a lateral crack across the runway pavement, which caused a noticeable and sharp movement through the foot controls; he felt no other anomalies. He lined the trike on the runway centerline and began the takeoff roll. The trike struck another crack and veered to the right. He attempted to correct back to the runway centerline without success. The trike rolled up on its left side, causing damage to the left wing's keel tube, the control A-frame, left leading edge spar, and sail cloth. The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that he wanted to go out on one last flight before the runway was closed for repairs. According to the FAA airworthiness inspector who responded to the accident, the crack in the runway that the trike traversed was about 4 to 5 inches wide and at least 1 to 2 inches deep. The city commenced planned runway repairs several days after the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that as he taxied onto the runway and toward the centerline, the trike encountered a lateral crack across the runway pavement, which caused a noticeable and sharp 'wiggle' through the foot controls; he felt no other anomalies. He lined the trike on runway centerline and readied the trike for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the trike struck another crack, and began to veer to the right. He attempted to correct back to the runway centerline without success. The trike rolled up on its left side, causing damage to the left wings' keel tube, the control A-frame, left leading edge spar, and sail cloth. The pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that he wanted to go out on one last flight before the runway was closed for repairs. According to the FAA airworthiness inspector who responded to the airport, the crack in the runway that the trike traversed was about 4 to 5 inches wide and at least 1 to 2 inches deep. The city commenced planned runway repairs on November 1, 2010.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N75784
- Reported as
- Medway Raven (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- KMR9371
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 60 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Departed
- E95 · Benson, AZ
- Destination
- E95 · Benson, AZ
- Airport
- E95 · Benson Municipal Airport, runway 10, 4,500 × 50 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
- 41
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Private, Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 15, 2009
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,199 total · 120 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- E95
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 1, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 MB 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.