Kendall W R/McLaughlin J RANS S-10 SAKOTA N444YB

Summary

On 12 June 2011 at about 18:00 local time, a Kendall W R/McLaughlin J RANS S-10 SAKOTA registered N444YB was involved in an accident near Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 June 2011 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Stanton's Barbecue & Fish Camp (NONE)

Coordinates

34.7347, -79.6683

Aircraft

Kendall W R/McLaughlin J RANS S-10 SAKOTA

Registration

N444YB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bennettsville → Parkton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11CA339

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight familiarization of the airstrip.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.