Pilot Debrief

TEMCO GC 1B near Hartsville, IN — 2017-04-12

Final reportCEN17FA152
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Date
2017-04-12
Location
Hartsville, IN, USA
Airport
24IN
Aircraft
TEMCO GC 1B
Registration
N2377B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of control after exceeding the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The accident pilot and a friend flew in the friend's airplane to pick up the accident airplane after recent repairs were completed due to a previous ground loop event in 2016. The accident pilot's friend and the mechanic observed the airplane during the takeoff. The airplane accelerated straight and normal and flew "cleanly" off the turf runway. Shortly after rotation, the airplane rolled left until the airplane impacted trees in a near inverted attitude adjacent to the runway. The mechanic stated that he thought the airplane experienced a departure stall during the takeoff. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The witness observations are consistent with the pilot's loss of control after exceeding the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in a power-on, aerodynamic departure stall.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have opted for additional training or a check flight before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents10

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