- Date
- July 13, 2013, 18:15 local (Jul 14, 2013, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- San Simon, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N544WKKincaid Wade Dakota Hawk
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 4, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20130713014069A
- Case key
- 87485
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 failure to maintain clearance from power lines during takeoff from an open field.
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 would not provide a statement; however, the pilot's wife who was on the ground and witnessed the accident reported that she watched as the airplane took off from an open field. During the initial climb, the airplane struck power lines. She further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Responding law enforcement personnel reported that after the collision, the airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude substantially damaging the fuselage.
Factual narrative
The pilot would not provide a statement; however, the pilot's wife who was on the ground and witnessed the accident reported that she watched as the airplane took off from an open field. During the initial climb, the airplane struck power lines. She further reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Responding law enforcement personnel reported that after the collision, the airplane collided with the ground in a nose low attitude substantially damaging the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N544WK
- Reported as
- Kincaid Wade Dakota Hawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- DH37
- Built
- 2002
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- San Simon, AZ
- Destination
- LRU · Las Cruces, NM
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
- 80
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 70 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- SAD, 40 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 18, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 99 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.