Pilot Debrief

BOARD JAMES A ZENITH 601 HD near Danville, KY — 2015-08-07

Final reportERA15LA304
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Date
2015-08-07
Location
Danville, KY, USA
Airport
DVK
Aircraft
BOARD JAMES A ZENITH 601 HD
Registration
N740JB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's improper adjustment of the propeller blade angle, which resulted in inadequate engine thrust, and his decision to continue the takeoff despite the excessively long takeoff roll.

NTSB narrative

The pilot, who also the owner/builder of the experimental, amateur-built airplane, was conducting the airplane's first test flight. The pilot stated that, during the takeoff roll, the airplane used about half of the runway surface, or five times the distance of a nominal takeoff roll, before becoming airborne. He added that the airplane then climbed to about 350 ft, at which point the flight controls began to feel "mushy." The airplane then entered a descent and impacted wires and trees before coming to rest in an open field. The pilot reported that the engine was producing full power throughout the flight but that the airplane would neither climb nor maintain altitude. Postaccident examination and testing of the airplane revealed that the pilot had likely misread the propeller adjustment tool when installing and adjusting the pitch of the ground-adjustable propeller and had inadvertently set the blades to an extremely low pitch. The low pitch of the propeller blades resulted in inadequate engine thrust, as evidenced by the long takeoff roll and the airplane's inability to climb.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have verified propeller pitch before takeoff.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents8

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