Thompson Bruce D SONERAI II N788T

Summary

On 16 July 2013 at about 13:05 local time, a Thompson Bruce D SONERAI II registered N788T, operated by Cliff J. Rosa, was involved in an accident near Pulaski, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2013 at 13:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Pulaski, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Abernathy Fielld (GZS)

Coordinates

35.1597, -87.0669

Aircraft

Thompson Bruce D SONERAI II

Registration

N788T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cliff J. Rosa

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pulaski → Pulaski

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA320

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a near-vertical climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane stop on the runway and the engine stop producing power during the takeoff. The private pilot/owner subsequently deplaned and hand propped the engine, which was not equipped with an electric starter, to restart it. The pilot continued the takeoff in tailwind conditions on the 2,500 feet of remaining up-sloping runway. The airplane lifted off the runway in a near-vertical climb and traveled about 2,900 feet before it rolled left and descended vertically to the ground. Flight control continuity was established during postaccident examinations; however, the engine could not be examined due to fire and impact damage. The airplane's previous owner described the airplane's design as inherently unstable and stated that higher airspeeds were required to maintain stability in all phases of flight and that the wing would dip very quickly in a stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.