SACREY W MICHAEL ZENAIR CH

Fincastle, VA — August 22, 2008

Event Information

DateAugust 22, 2008
Event TypeACC
NTSB NumberNYC08CA294
Event ID20081006X71128
LocationFincastle, VA
CountryUSA
Coordinates37.49194, -79.92861
AirportBarrows
Highest InjuryNONE

Aircraft

MakeSACREY W MICHAEL
ModelZENAIR CH
CategoryAIR
FAR Part091
Aircraft DamageSUBS

Conditions

Light ConditionDAYL
WeatherVMC

Injuries

Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
None1
Total Injured0

Event Location

Probable Cause

The pilot's inadvertent premature rotation during takeoff.

Full Narrative

The pilot of the amateur-built Zenair CH 701SP, was departing from a 2,100-foot-long, turf runway. He reported that he pulled the control stick back too far, in an effort to reduce the weight on the nose-wheel, which resulted in the airplane becoming airborne prematurely. The airplane did not have enough airspeed for the pilot to be able to maintain directional control. It turned left, descended, and struck trees located off the left side of the runway. The airplane sustained damage to both wings, the empennage, and the forward portion of the fuselage. The pilot reported 2,021 hours of total flight experience, which included 13 hours in same make and model as the accident airplane. He did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane, nor were any found during postaccident examination.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

All Aviation Events More in VA