Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nokesville, Virginia 22123
Monday, July 20, 1992 17:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER CONSTRUCTION OF A HOME BUILT RANS S 6 WAS COMPLETED, THE PILOT (OWNER, BUILDER) ELECTED TO PRACTICE TAXIING AROUND THE 1300 FT GRASS STRIP. AFTER A SERIES OF TAXI TESTS, IN WHICH THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND WAS LANDED, HE ALLOWED HIS WIFE ABOARD, INTENDING ONLY TO TAXI THE PLANE. ACCORDING TO HIM, AS HE BECAME MORE COMFORTABLE IN THE AIRPLANE, HE INCREASED THE TAXI SPEED TO ABOUT 40 MPH, AND THE AIRPLANE INADVERTENTLY LIFTED OFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSTRIP TO STOP, SO HE ELECTED TO REMAIN AIRBORNE, CIRCLE THE FIELD, AND LAND. HE CLEARED TREES AT THE END OF THE STRIP AND TURNED CROSSWIND AT ABOUT 75 FT AGL. HE INDICATED HE TURNED DOWNWIND AT 70 MPH. ALTHOUGH THE ENGINE WAS AT FULL THROTTLE, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT NOTICED POWERLINES AHEAD AND PULLED UP WHILE USING FULL FLAPS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE HIT A TREE AT AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 40 MPH AND CRASHED. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION, BUT SAID THERE WAS TURBULENCE. THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 2500 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING OR DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS AFTER INADVERTENTLY BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPLANE WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1745
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NOKESVILLE
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22123
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 2500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1036
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51410
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N116LP
NTSB Number BFO92LA106
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 HAAS
Aircraft Model RANS S-6
Aircraft Series Identifier RANS S-6
Aircraft Serial Number 0492287
Certified Max Gross Weight 960
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM H. HAAS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10017 CRAWFORD LANE
Aircraft Owner City NOKESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22123
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM H. HAAS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10017 CRAWFORD LANE
Operator City NOKESVILLE
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 22123
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --