Houston Southwest Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Houston, Texas 77583
Friday, August 27, 2004 15:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 1,070-hour pilot reported that during takeoff on Runway 9 (a 5,000-foot long and 100-foot wide asphalt runway) the airplane became airborne, settled back onto the runway, exited the runway, before impacting a culvert at an intersecting taxiway. The pilot added that as the airplane became airborne, the "takeoff pitch was too steep" and he could not keep the airplane straight with rudder. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident, the wind was from the southeast at 15 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's premature lift-off before attaining adequate airspeed resulting in a stall and collision with the ground.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/2004
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Houston
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77583
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 293022N
Event Location Longitude 0952836W
Event Location Airport Houston Southwest Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AXH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 68
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID SGR
Elevation of weather observation facility 82
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 25
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16722
NTSB Notification Source FAA OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Aug 30 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2004 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office HOUSTON, TX

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30KR
NTSB Number FTW04LA222
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Lancair
Aircraft Model 320
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 006
Certified Max Gross Weight 1685
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Adam Courville
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5430 Seale Road
Aircraft Owner City Beaumont
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77705
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name MATTHEW R KOONTZ
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9803 BRAEWICK DRIVE
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 77096
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 AXH
Departure City Houston
Departure State TX
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BPT
Destination City Beaumont
Destination State TX
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2004 1:43PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 9
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --