Pilot Debrief

ICON A5 near Lake, MI — 2019-07-27

Final reportCEN19LA242
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Date
2019-07-27
Location
Lake, MI, USA
Aircraft
ICON A5
Registration
N663BA
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to operate the airplane in exceedance of the airplane manufacturer’s operating limitations, which led to an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper decision to continue attempting the takeoff after two failed attempts.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting a sales demonstration flight with a pilot-rated passenger on board. He reported that, when he started the takeoff run from a lake, three small wakes helped propel the airplane into the air. He stated that the airplane took off on the first attempt, the takeoff was normal, and "there was nothing wrong with the [air]plane at all." He added that, after initiating a 10° right turn to stay over the lake, it felt like the airplane "hit a wall." The airplane then descended rapidly, clipped a tree, and impacted water, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. The pilot-rated passenger said that it took four takeoff attempts to get airborne and that the airplane felt very sluggish and acted as if it did not want to come off the water. Postaccident weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane was about 57 lbs over its maximum gross weight and outside of the weight and center of gravity limits contained in the pilot's operating handbook. Data retrieved from the airplane's onboard digital-to-analogue converter were consistent with three takeoff attempts, with the airplane becoming airborne on the third attempt. A review of video of the accident flight from witnesses showed the airplane in a nose-high attitude with the flaps extended as it approached trees during the initial climb. As the airplane reached about the midpoint of a stand of trees, the angle of attack appeared to increase and the nose dropped. The right wing then lowered and impacted one of the trees.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have aborted takeoff due to weight over limits and sluggish performance.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • FDR / data
  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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