Summary
On July 05, 2003, a Aerotrike DPS (UNREG) was involved in an accident near Brandon, IA. The accident resulted in 2 serious injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The non-certificated pilot selected unsuitable terrain for takeoff when he departed from a bean field, and the airplane stalled as a result of low airspeed during takeoff climb. Factors to the accident included the pilot's total lack of experience, the pilot's poor judgement, the bean field, and the trees.
On July 5, 2003, at 1030 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Aerotrike DPS airplane, which had not been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, sustained substantial damage during takeoff. The airplane was departing on a local flight from a bean field near Brandon, Iowa, when it hit trees at the end of the field. The uncertificated pilot and one passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed.
A witness reported the airplane took off to the west from highway 283. The pilot was seen landing the airplane in a bean field near highway 283 where he picked up one passenger. Once the passenger was seated, the pilot started a takeoff roll from the bean field to the south.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI03LA203. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft UNREG.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The non-certificated pilot selected unsuitable terrain for takeoff when he departed from a bean field, and the airplane stalled as a result of low airspeed during takeoff climb. Factors to the accident included the pilot's total lack of experience, the pilot's poor judgement, the bean field, and the trees.
Aircraft Information
Analysis
On July 5, 2003, at 1030 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Aerotrike DPS airplane, which had not been registered with the Federal Aviation Administration, sustained substantial damage during takeoff. The airplane was departing on a local flight from a bean field near Brandon, Iowa, when it hit trees at the end of the field. The uncertificated pilot and one passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed.
A witness reported the airplane took off to the west from highway 283. The pilot was seen landing the airplane in a bean field near highway 283 where he picked up one passenger. Once the passenger was seated, the pilot started a takeoff roll from the bean field to the south. The witness reported that when the airplane neared the trees at the end of the field, it "went straight up and went to the left and nose down into the trees."
At 0954, the recorded weather at Waterloo Municipal Airport, Waterloo, Iowa, located approximately 27 miles west from the accident site, was: Wind 300 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 25 degrees Celsius; dew point 19 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.93 inches of mercury.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI03LA203