Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Summey Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Caroleen, North Carolina 28019
Thursday, December 1, 2011 19:45 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The tailwheel-equipped experimental amateur-built airplane was departing from a turf runway at night. The pilot reported that he observed two deer crossing the runway and swerved to avoid them. At that time, a flashlight fell from the top of the instrument panel to the floor of the cockpit. The pilot looked down to retrieve the flashlight and did not realize that the airplane had veered off the runway. He subsequently noticed that the airplane did not feel right, looked up, and observed that the airplane was approaching the tree line. The pilot reduced the engine power to idle and applied brakes; however, the airplane struck trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot did not maintain directional control during takeoff at night due to his distraction with a dropped flashlight, and he delayed his decision to abort the takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/1/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1945 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Caroleen |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28019 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 351721N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0814706W |
| Event Location Airport | Summey |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 8NC2 |
| 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 | 1000 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 220 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GSP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 964 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 32 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.33 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 29595 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 26 2012 3:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N295JS |
| NTSB Number | ERA12CA094 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | NUSE GEORGE |
| Aircraft Model | F1H ROCKET |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 352 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 15 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 146 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Supair, LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Charlotte |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28214 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Supair, LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Charlotte |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 28214 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 8NC2 |
| Departure City | Caroleen |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 745 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | IPJ |
| Destination City | Lincolnton |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 26 2012 3:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 2500 |
| Runway Width | 120 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |