ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134928
This record has been locked for editing.
| Date: | Sunday 18 July 2004 |
| Time: | 13:51 |
| Type: |  Van's RV-4 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N996NC |
| MSN: | 1 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 25 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-320-E2D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Latexo, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Latexo, TX (8TS3) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A witness, standing near the approach end of runway 17 (a 2,500 feet long by 50 feet wide turf runway), stated that the 180-hour pilot went through his pre-flight checklist and began his take-off roll. The witness further stated that the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered off to the left and into some tall grass to the left of the runway. The airplane became airborne for a moment and then settled back down in a level attitude. The airplane again lifted off of the runway and it was at this point the witness noticed the pilot "trying to close" the canopy on the airplane. The airplane remained airborne at what appeared to be "just above stall speed." Subsequently, the airplane banked to the left and stalled. The witness lost sight of the airplane as it went down behind some trees, short of the departure end of runway 17 and "several hundred feet" to the left. Near the time of the accident, the closest weather reporting station reported winds from 330 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky scattered at 4,900 feet msl, temperature 35 degrees Celsius, dew point 17 degrees Celsius, and a barometric pressure of 29.94 inches of Mercury.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control and attain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention with closing the canopy, and the quartering crosswind.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20040720X01010&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 07-Dec-2017 18:11 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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