Brashears MONERAI-S N5575S

Summary

On 16 September 1997 at about 17:15 local time, a Brashears MONERAI-S registered N5575S was involved in an accident near Artesia, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 September 1997 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Artesia, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Artesia Municipal (ATS)

Coordinates

32.8410, -104.4309

Aircraft

Brashears MONERAI-S

Registration

N5575S

Category

Unknown

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA351

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's improper handling of the aircraft during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's lack of recent flight experience in the make and model of aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The homebuilt motorized glider was observed on takeoff roll from runway 21 in calm wind. Witnesses reported that as soon as the aircraft broke ground, 'the aircraft assumed a very nose high attitude and stalled.' It impacted the ground in a left banking turn and nose low attitude. Witnesses further stated that the 22 horsepower engine continued to operate at high RPM after the aircraft impacted the ground. The co-owner of the airplane stated that he had flown the motorized glider 3 times prior to the accident and found it to have 'extremely sensitive controls.' He further reported that the flight controls in the glider were operated by a side stick located on the left side of the cockpit. He noted that 'there is a tendency to overcorrect the control inputs specially at low airspeeds in close proximity to the ground.' Also, the pilot said that for the last few years, he had been flying gliders, and before the accident, he had not flown a powered aircraft for over 13 years.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.