Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The failure of owner of sod runway to properly maintain the runway, the pilots failure to properly preflight the takeoff area before departure.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On January 30, 1999, about 1200 central standard time, a Gettis H. Hudson, Corban Baby Ace, N24562, collided with a hole in the runway surface on a private airstrip, during takeoff near Pleasant View, Tennessee. The flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was on departure from Pleasant View, Tennessee, when the accident occurred.
The pilot stated he was flying the experimental airplane on a friend's private airstrip near Pleasant View, Tennessee. During takeoff roll the airplane accelerated to approximately 35 knots and the main landing gear collided with a hole in the sod runway and the airplane nosed over. According to the pilot he did not see the hole in the sod runway.
Examination of the airplane showed structural damage to the airframe. The pilot did not report any mechanical problem with the airplane. The pilot also did not report conducting a visual inspection of the runway surface before attempting takeoff.
This accident was reported to the NTSB on 04/24/2000.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL99LA137