Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot, by not adequately surveying the area to be used for takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a fence.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On April 21, 1996, about 1145 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Luttrell-Lacky Breezy, N78LL, registered to a private individual, was substantially damaged on takeoff from a field near Hendersonville, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The private-rated pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he landed uneventfully in a corn field after being unable to locate his destination. He determined his location and maneuvered the airplane to takeoff. He further stated that he did not survey the field before the takeoff attempt. Initially, during the ground roll he was paralleling the corn rows, but the row direction changed and the airplane continued across the corn rows at about a 45-degree angle. The pilot observed a fence ahead and thought the airplane would be airborne before the fence but the airplane remained on the ground and collided with it.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# MIA96LA126