Pilot Country Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spring Hill, Florida 34610
Thursday, February 11, 1999 12:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was about 1/3 of the way down the runway on takeoff when he noticed that the canopy might not be closed. He aborted the takeoff and about 3/4 of the way down the runway, the wheel brakes became effective. He turned off the runway into the grass and the main landing gear grabbed. The aircraft turned sideways and then rolled over to an inverted position, coming to rest on a taxiway.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure of the pilot to insure the canopy was closed prior to takeoff resulting in an aborted takeoff, overheating of the brakes, and a roll over when the aircraft was turned off the runway into the grass in an attempt to stop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/11/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1235
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City SPRING HILL
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34610
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PILOT COUNTRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X05
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 80
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1256 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 27
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 11 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1355
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N96LH
NTSB Number MIA99LA077
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Lee S. Harvard
Aircraft Model LONG-EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier LONG-EZ
Aircraft Serial Number 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1420
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 6 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 125
Airframe Hours 205
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEE S. HARVARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 535 MONTEREY BLVD., NE
Aircraft Owner City ST. PETERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code X05
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1235
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PIE
Destination City ST. PETERSBURG
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --