Chino Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chino, California 91710
Saturday, December 11, 2010 12:41 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) had just completed two simulated short-field takeoffs, and decided to perform a simulated soft-field takeoff. The student was at the controls during the takeoff roll and, as the airplane rotated, the nose lifted at an angle that the CFI determined was excessive. He verbally coached the student to lower the nose, but the nose did not lower. He again requested that the student lower the nose, but he did not respond. The airplane then began to drift to the left, so the CFI took the controls. The CFI attempted to regain control of the airplane; however, the wing dropped and the airplane landed hard. The airplane departed the runway and was consumed by a postimpact fire after coming to rest on a taxiway. The CFI reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the flap actuator mechanism revealed that the flaps were fully extended at the time of the accident, rather than set to the mid-range takeoff position. The extended flap position likely resulted in the excessive nose-up tendencies experienced during the takeoff roll.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to properly position the flaps for the takeoff, failure to maintain airplane control during the procedure, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/11/2010
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1241
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Chino
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91710
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 335823n
Event Location Longitude 1173751w
Event Location Airport Chino
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CNO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 650
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1241 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 650
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28162
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2011 5:57PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4326H
NTSB Number WPR11LA075
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0707
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 4490
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GROUND FLOOR DESIGN INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tustin
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92780-6666
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Erik Marcussen
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tustin
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92780-6666
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SNA
Departure City Santa Ana
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CNO
Destination City Chino
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 24 2011 5:57PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --