- Date
- August 10, 2025, 09:11 local (15:11 UTC)
- Place
- Etna, WY
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N801RAAviat A1
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Nose over/nose down
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2025
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- Case key
- 200758
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 premature rotation at insufficient airspeed during takeoff to avoid an unexpected animal on the runway, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent nose-over during the aborted takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s excessive brake application.
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 was departing from a private grass airstrip when an animal ran onto the runway. In an attempt to avoid a collision, the pilot applied abrupt back pressure on the control yoke, and the airplane lifted off before reaching a sufficient airspeed for sustained flight. The airplane settled back onto the runway and bounced. With limited runway remaining, the pilot aborted the takeoff and applied heavy braking, and the airplane subsequently nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to the rudder and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N801RA
- Reported as
- Aviat A1 (C180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3169
- Built
- 2012
- Airframe hours
- 450
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 16, 2024 · 30 hours before
- Airport
- 32WY · Double L Ranch, runway 16/34, 2,100 × 75 ft
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system
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
- 66
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 20, 2025
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,442 total · 250 in this make and model · 3,442 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 10 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- KAFO, 23 nm away
- METAR
- KAFO 101515Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM HZ CLR 08/00 A3034 RMK AO2
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 4, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 689 KB in all.