N2601

Substantial
None

AIRCRAFT MFG & DEVELOPMENT CO CH 601XL SS/N: 601-005S

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, June 20, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA09CA359
Location
Vaughn, MS
Event ID
20090620X82621
Coordinates
32.750278, -90.088058
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
2
Total Aboard
2

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning.

Aircraft Information

Registration
Make
AIRCRAFT MFG & DEVELOPMENT CO
Serial Number
601-005S
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2006
Model / ICAO
CH 601XL S
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1
Seats
2
FAA Model
CH 601XL SLSA

Registered Owner (Current)

Name
BOWDLER BRUCE M
Address
4161 10TH ST
City
NEWPORT
State / Zip Code
MI 48166-9676
Country
United States

Analysis

An airline transport pilot was departing a private grass field in a special light sport airplane, with a passenger onboard. With calm wind, the airplane began a takeoff roll to the west on an approximate 1000-foot-long turf runway. The pilot said that during the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a dip/bump in the runway, which reduced groundspeed and extended the ground roll. The airplane became airborne near the end of the runway, where it started to lose lift and struck an unseen wire with the right main landing gear. The wire was a solar/electrical wire, at a height of approximately 1 to 2 feet, which ran along and adjacent soybean patch. The airplane's nose then pitched down and the airplane came to rest at the bottom of a 5-foot embankment. The pilot reported that due to the density altitude and the weight of the airplane, he could not gain sufficient airspeed during the takeoff to climb. The pilot added that had the unseen wire not "snagged" the landing gear, the airplane would have been able to continue accelerating and climbing. The airplane received damage to the propeller, left leading edge of the left wing, the landing gear, and the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies or mechanical problems with the airplane.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA359