Tecnam P2002 SIERRA N122LS

Summary

On 24 April 2009 at about 17:05 local time, a Tecnam P2002 SIERRA registered N122LS, operated by PLG Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 April 2009 at 17:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Wales, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Chalet Suzanne (X25)

Coordinates

27.9528, -81.6011

Aircraft

Tecnam P2002 SIERRA

Registration

N122LS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

PLG Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Wales → Sarasota

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA09CA262

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control and failure to maintain clearance from trees during initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on Runway 18 in a special light sport airplane with his grandson onboard. The turf runway was 2,313 feet long by 50 feet wide, and sloped down toward the middle, with sandy, soft soil. The recorded wind at an airport located 9 miles west of the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was from 150 degrees at 4 knots. The airplane weighed about 1,250 pounds at the time of departure, less than the maximum gross weight of 1,320 pounds. A witness stated that the pilot attempted to rotate and climb, but did not lower the airplane’s pitch attitude to gain airspeed in ground effect. The airplane contacted the ground once, about 1,600 feet, and again about 2,500 feet from the point of initial takeoff. According to the witness, the pilot continued his takeoff roll and wallowed in ground effect. The right wing of the airplane impacted a tree approximately 15 feet above ground level and the airplane came to rest inverted. A postcrash fire subsequently consumed the airplane. The pilot also reported that the engine was operating properly and that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions. When asked how this accident could have been prevented, the pilot stated that he should have aborted the takeoff when he initially touched down on the soft soil.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.