Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlton, Minnesota 55718
Saturday, September 25, 2004 16:31 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The homebuilt airplane impacted trees during its maiden takeoff from a private airstrip. The pilot reported that the airplane "did not lift-off as expected" and it "bounced into air" after a 600 foot long ground roll. The pilot stated that the airplane "climbed out slowly" and impacted the top of a 40 foot high tree with a wingtip. The pilot reported the airplane came to rest nose-down, hanging from the tree. The pilot believes he incorrectly set the pitch of the propeller during construction, which resulted in a reduced engine power output. The airplane had not been issued a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness or registration certificate. The pilot reported his last medical certificate was issued during 1964. The pilot stated his total flight experience was about 65 hours.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. Factors to the accident included the diminished takeoff performance due to the incorrect propeller pitch setting and the tree that the airplane impacted.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/25/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1631
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Carlton
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55718
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 463854N
Event Location Longitude 0922816W
Event Location Airport Private Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PVT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.12
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 1500
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2135 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID COQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1279
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
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) 30.21
Density Altitude (feet) 1982
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16837
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Sep 25 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1924
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 28 2004 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Administration - Minneapolis FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number CHI04CA291
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 Johnson
Aircraft Model Titan Tornado I
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number MG01503S0HK0402
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Not Registered
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 0
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Unregistered Aircraft
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Robert T. Johnson
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1866 East Chub Lake Road
Operator City Carlton
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 55718
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) Flight Test
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City Carlton
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1631
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PVT
Destination City Carlton
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2004 4:59PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 600
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --