- Date
- July 11, 2020, 11:55 local (17:55 UTC)
- Place
- Preston, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N85BJQuickie Q2
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20200711004819A
- Case key
- 101591
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 airplane control during takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to accomplish performance calculations for the atmospheric conditions.
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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the takeoff roll, about two-thirds of the way down the runway at rotation speed of 70 mph, the airplane was not lifting off as normal. At 75 mph nothing was changing so the pilot attempted to place the airplane into ground effect, "something I learned to do in other types but not this plane." The pilot recalled that he added "too much forward stick" and the airplane porpoised, ascended and rolled to the right. The pilot leveled the wings, however, the airplane descended and collided with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, canard, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he did not accomplish any performance planning for the atmospheric conditions before the flight. At the time of the accident, the density altitude was calculated at 6,977ft.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that during the takeoff roll, about two-thirds of the way down the runway at rotation speed of 70 mph, the airplane was not lifting off as normal. At 75 mph nothing was changing so the pilot attempted to place the airplane into ground effect, "something I learned to do in other types but not this plane." The pilot recalled that he added "too much forward stick" and the airplane porpoised, ascended and rolled to the right. The pilot leveled the wings, however, the airplane descended and collided with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, canard, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that he did not accomplish any performance planning for the atmospheric conditions before the flight. At the time of the accident, the density altitude was calculated at 6,977ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N85BJ
- Reported as
- Quickie Q2
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2438
- Built
- 2020
- Airframe hours
- 1,060
- Engine
- Revmaster 2100D, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 18, 2020
- Departed
- MAN · Nampa, ID
- Destination
- RKS · Rock Springs, WY
- Airport
- U10 · Preston, runway 21, 3,457 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Video recording device, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 28, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 178.1 total · 5 in this make and model · 66 as pilot in command · 35.2 in the last 90 days · 20.3 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KLGU, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 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.