N4499Y – Clutton Eric Fred S1 – 2008-02-16 NTSB Accident Report

On February 16, 2008, a Clutton Eric Fred S1 (N4499Y) was involved in an incident near Tullahoma, TN. All 1 person 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 failure to maintain control of the airplane during takeoff.

According to the pilot of the amateur built Fred S1 airplane, during takeoff roll and just as the main wheels left the runway, the airplane turned sharply right. He applied full left "stick" and got the wings level, but by then he was at a right angle to the runway with a good stretch of grass ahead, so he landed. The pilot stated that unfortunately the grass was swampy and the airplane nosed over onto it's back. The pilot exited from the open cockpit with no problem. The pilot further stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions noted with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane by an Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector found the vertical stabilizer crushed and partially separated from the airframe.

This incident is documented in NTSB report MIA08CA064. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N4499Y.