Pilot Debrief

Endler Glasair/Glasair 1-TD SH2 near Colorado Springs, CO — 2017-07-15

Final reportCEN17LA274
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Date
2017-07-15
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Airport
FLY
Aircraft
Endler Glasair/Glasair 1-TD SH2
Registration
N181AL
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to lock the castering tailwheel in accordance with the airplane Owner's Manual and a checklist item and to abort the takeoff after the airplane exceeded its normal takeoff distance and/or reached the limit of the rudder control authority during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a subsequent runway excursion and impact with a light.

NTSB narrative

The airline transport pilot reported that he was attempting to take off in a nonsteerable, castering, tailwheel-equipped experimental airplane with the tailwheel unlocked. During the takeoff roll, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied right rudder pedal input and then applied the right brake, but the airplane continued to veer left. The airplane veered off the runway about 2,400 ft down the runway and struck a taxiway light; the airplane's normal takeoff distance is 1,000 ft. A postcrash fire erupted from the right main landing gear well area. The continued application of right brake after full rudder deflection, as evidenced by witness marks along the runway, did not correct the airplane's path; instead, it likely increased the takeoff distance and created a heat source for the initiation of the fire. Further, when applying full rudder deflection did not correct the airplane's path, the pilot should have recognized there was a problem and aborted the takeoff. According to the airplane Owner's Manual and a checklist item in the manual, the tailwheel was to be in the locked position for takeoff and landing. Given the evidence, the pilot likely had not locked the castering tailwheel in accordance with applicable guidance, which resulted in the loss of directional control during takeoff.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have ensured tailwheel was locked before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents7

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