- Date
- April 30, 2024, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rowley, UT · Road
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N440BSThatcher CX4
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- 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 FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240430003949A
- Case key
- 194217
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 directional control during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 2
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a precautionary landing on a paved road after a sudden loss of engine power. While troubleshooting the engine, a loose carburetor fuel/air mixture needle was identified, and it was subsequently adjusted and secured. The pilot conducted an engine runup and elected to depart from the same road. The road was approximately 30 ft in width and was lined with power lines on either side. During the takeoff roll, the airplane began to veer to the right and the pilot stated he failed to recover in time. The airplane departed the road to the right, struck surrounding vegetation, and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, left aileron, and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N440BS
- Reported as
- Thatcher CX4
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 440
- Built
- 2014
- Airframe hours
- 263
- Engine
- Great Plains Volkswagen Type 1, 80 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 16, 2023 · 165 hours before
- Departed
- KENV · Wendover, UT
- Destination
- 1U7 · Bear Lake County, ID
- Airport
- N/A
- Equipment
- 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
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 29, 2023
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 605 total · 170 in this make and model · 570 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 56 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KSLC, 36 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KSLC 301754Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW070 SCT210 BKN250 12/M06 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP158 T01171061 10117 20044 58010=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 19, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.