Summary
On June 28, 1995, a Pierce KITFOX III (N101GP) was involved in an incident near Arlington, TN. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: THE PILOT'S PREMATURE ROTATION ON TAKEOFF THAT RESULTED IN LOW AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL.
On June 27, 1995, at 1945 central standard time, a Pierce Kitfox III, N101GP, collided with the ground on departure from a private airstrip near Arlington, Tennessee. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The two occupants on board the experimental airplane were not injured.
According to the pilot, he was preoccupied during takeoff with the power lines and trees at the end of the runway. He stated that he rotated before accelerating to the best angle of climb speed (Vx), 50 knots. After lift off, he realized that he was below Vx, and made a left turn to avoid hitting the obstacles at the end of the runway.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ATL95LA120. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N101GP.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
THE PILOT'S PREMATURE ROTATION ON TAKEOFF THAT RESULTED IN LOW AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On June 27, 1995, at 1945 central standard time, a Pierce Kitfox III, N101GP, collided with the ground on departure from a private airstrip near Arlington, Tennessee. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The two occupants on board the experimental airplane were not injured.
According to the pilot, he was preoccupied during takeoff with the power lines and trees at the end of the runway. He stated that he rotated before accelerating to the best angle of climb speed (Vx), 50 knots. After lift off, he realized that he was below Vx, and made a left turn to avoid hitting the obstacles at the end of the runway. He then attempted to regain airspeed by lowering the nose, but had insufficient altitude. The aircraft collided with the ground in a left wing down, nose down attitude. The pilot stated that his preoccupation with the power lines caused him to neglect airspeed control which resulted in stalling the aircraft on departure.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ATL95LA120