Rgj JOHNSON AIR CAM N81047

Summary

On 16 June 2018 at about 15:40 local time, a Rgj JOHNSON AIR CAM registered N81047 was involved in an accident near Greenwood, Illinois, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 June 2018 at 15:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenwood, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Galt Field Airport (10C)

Coordinates

42.4028, -88.3750

Aircraft

Rgj JOHNSON AIR CAM

Registration

N81047

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenwood → Twin Lakes

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN18LA228

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's decision to take off with insufficient runway available and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a fly-in event, the airline transport pilot was attempting a short-field takeoff from a 2,802-ft runway. The pilot added flaps to increase aircraft performance; he checked the flight controls and confirmed the flap setting before takeoff. He stated that he rarely used flaps, that the airplane does not require the use of flaps for a short takeoff roll, and that the airplane make and model had a takeoff roll of 300 ft. The pilot stated that he had about 1,400 ft of runway available and that he rotated the airplane at 50 knots. However, a witness stated the airplane back taxied only about 100 ft past the runway threshold and then turned around for what appeared to be getting ready for takeoff. A second witness stated he heard the pilot make a radio transmission that he was going to back taxi. The witness watched the airplane back taxi and very shortly after it crossed the numbers of the runway, it stopped and turned around. A few seconds later, the pilot applied full throttle, and the airplane began to roll forward. A third witness stated that the pilot attempted the takeoff with about 600 ft remaining to the end of the runway and that the airplane lifted off surprisingly quickly, perhaps 350 ft from the west edge of the runway, maybe further back. Shortly after takeoff, the right wing dropped, and the pilot experienced a loss of aileron control, which were consistent with the exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. The airplane impacted the ground to the right of the runway and cartwheeled before coming to a stop. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot took off with insufficient runway available and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.