Lorain County Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elyria, Ohio 44035
Tuesady, July 25, 1995 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A STAGGERED TAKEOFF ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, WITH A LEFT CROSSWIND. HE STARTED HIS TAKEOFF WHEN THE PRECEDING AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. ONCE AIRBORNE, AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 20 TO 30 FEET, HE ENCOUNTERED WAKE TURBULENCE, AND THEN SANK UNCONTROLLABLY ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE FAA REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD MINIMAL EXPERIENCE IN PERFORMING STAGGERED TAKEOFFS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's decision to perform a staggered takeoff on the downwind side of the runway, which resulted in a wake turbulence encounter, loss of control in flight, and uncontrolled descent onto the runway. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in performing staggered takeoffs.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ELYRIA
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44035
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LORAIN COUNTY REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 22G
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 294
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 70
Weather Observation Facility ID CLE
Elevation of weather observation facility 792
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 653
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1434
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N888TQ
NTSB Number NYC95LA175
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name VARGA
Aircraft Model TRI-Q200
Aircraft Series Identifier TRI-Q200
Aircraft Serial Number 2888
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 122
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. VARGA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 21815 MASTICK ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FAIRVIEW PARK
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 44126
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 22G
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VPZ
Destination City VALPARAISO
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --