Pilot Debrief

REMOS AIRCRAFT GMBH REMOS GX near Lowell, AR — 2016-10-11

Final reportGAA17CA020
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Date
2016-10-11
Location
Lowell, AR, USA
Airport
PVT
Aircraft
REMOS AIRCRAFT GMBH REMOS GX
Registration
N27GX
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to take off with a prevailing tailwind and insufficient distance to ensure obstacle clearance, which resulted in a collision with a tree.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he performed three off-airport, soft-field landings and was landing in a southerly direction. He added that, after the third landing, he turned the aircraft around and took off to the north, "because of all the tall trees on the south end of the strip." He remarked that the wind was calm on the ground but that, during his takeoff climb, he encountered "wind shear and my airspeed dropped from 50 kts to 30 kts." He recalled that the airplane struck a tree, descended, and impacted terrain. According to the nearest METAR from an aerodrome located about 3 miles northeast of the accident site, the wind about the time of the accident was from 210° at 13 kts. The METAR indicated that the prevailing wind throughout the day was a southerly wind. According to the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, "Takeoff Performance," pages 10-14, paragraph 5: The effect of wind on takeoff distance is large, and proper consideration also must be provided when predicting takeoff distance. The effect of a headwind is to allow the aircraft to reach the lift-off speed at a lower groundspeed while the effect of a tailwind is to require the aircraft to achieve a greater groundspeed to attain the lift-off speed. A headwind that is 10 percent of the takeoff airspeed will reduce the takeoff distance approximately 19 percent. However, a tailwind that is 10 percent of the takeoff airspeed will increase the takeoff distance approximately 21 percent. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen a different takeoff direction considering wind conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents2

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