CubCrafters CC11-160 N319PT

Summary

On 29 September 2015 at about 23:00 local time, a CubCrafters CC11-160 registered N319PT was involved in an accident near Lake City, Colorado, United States. One person was 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

29 September 2015 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake City, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Castle Lakes (CD32)

Coordinates

37.9081, -107.3522

Aircraft

CubCrafters CC11-160

Registration

N319PT

Category

Airplane

Year built

2015

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake City → La Garita

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA293

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's loss of directional control during the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a parked airplane and impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he planned to depart from a mountain airport situated in a valley. He stated that the wind was calm before he started his takeoff roll, but after he started, a wind gust from the left pushed the airplane to the right into trees along the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. An FAA inspector who went to the accident site reported that an airplane was parked on the right side of the runway about 218 feet from where the accident airplane began the takeoff. The parked airplane's owner, was standing near his airplane at the time of the takeoff, and witnessed the event. The witness reported that the pilot of the accident airplane lost directional control immediately after applying takeoff power and did not correct the airplane's course as it veered to the right. The witness reported that the accident airplane was tracking off the center of the runway from the start, and was aimed directly at him and his parked airplane. He stated that he dove into a ditch to avoid being hit, and that the accident airplane never got more than 10 feet in the air. The FAA inspector reported that he believed the accident airplane was forced into the air, and was not ready to fly. The wheels of the accident airplane rolled across the top of the right wing of the parked airplane, leaving tire tracks on the wing. The accident airplane then collided with a utility pole guy wire and impacted terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.