Pilot Debrief

U-FLY-IT Aerolite 103 near MIDLAND, VA — 2015-11-08

Final reportGAA16LA046
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Date
2015-11-08
Location
MIDLAND, VA, USA
Airport
HWY
Aircraft
U-FLY-IT Aerolite 103
Registration
UNREG
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to attain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack during takeoff with the airplane’s center of gravity aft of its limit, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that the accident flight was his first flight in the ultralight airplane. He reported that, after he applied full power for takeoff, the airplane pitched up at a steep angle and that he then immediately reduced the power. A witness reported that, after the airplane pitched up, it climbed steeply and then stalled. The airplane then pitched down, impacted the runway, and flipped over. The airplane was consumed by a postcrash fire. Calculations using the airplane's performance data showed that its center of gravity (CG) exceeded the aft CG limit, which reduced the stall speed and led to an aerodynamic stall and likely increased the pitch during takeoff. It would have been difficult for the pilot to recover from the stall at low altitude due to the aft CG.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after realizing the aircraft was improperly loaded.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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