Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
the pilot's improper decision to initiate a takeoff on an uphill runway with high grass, which resulted in a premature lift off, and an inadvertent stall/mush into trees.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On May 21, 1995, at 1730 eastern daylight time, a Taylor Mono Plane, N6155Z, an experimental, homebuilt airplane, struck trees after takeoff from the McVille Airport, Freeport, Pennsylvania. The builder/pilot, John D. Erwin, received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
McVille airport had three runways, all turf. Runway 3/21 was 2250 feet long, runway 18/36 was 2160 feet long, and runway 11/29 was 1420 feet long.
The pilot reported the winds were from 310 degrees, at 10 knots, with gusts to 15 knots.
In the NTSB Accident report, the pilot stated:
...I attempted to take off from runway 29. The grass was long and the runway lies uphill...The aircraft was slow to accelerate, but I felt it was sufficient for takeoff. I bounced once only to settle on the runway. After a short run further I was in the air but the airspeed was low and I found myself over the end of the runway in a near stall condition with trees ahead. The plane settled into the trees and pitched down and came to rest nose down at the base of the tree....
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC95LA119