Summary
On June 12, 2011, a Kendall W R/mclaughlin J RANS S-10 SAKOTA (N444YB) was involved in an incident near Bennettsville, SC. 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 inadequate preflight familiarization of the airstrip.
According to the pilot, he attempted to take off from a grass airstrip on a runway that sloped upwards to the crest of a hill. He began the takeoff roll midway up the slope with his forward visibility limited due to the slope's inclination and the taildragger configuration of the airplane. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, the pilot realized that the runway doglegged about 40 degrees to the left, but the airplane was traveling too fast at that point to be able to make the turn. The airplane left the runway and continued down an adjacent road before veering into a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage.
This incident is documented in NTSB report ERA11CA339. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N444YB.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's inadequate preflight familiarization of the airstrip.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
According to the pilot, he attempted to take off from a grass airstrip on a runway that sloped upwards to the crest of a hill. He began the takeoff roll midway up the slope with his forward visibility limited due to the slope's inclination and the taildragger configuration of the airplane. Upon reaching the crest of the hill, the pilot realized that the runway doglegged about 40 degrees to the left, but the airplane was traveling too fast at that point to be able to make the turn. The airplane left the runway and continued down an adjacent road before veering into a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot did not report any preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane, and noted that the accident could have been prevented had he taxied to the crest of the hill first and performed a visual check prior to beginning the takeoff attempt.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA11CA339