Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Abernathy Fielld Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pulaski, Tennessee 38478
Tuesady, July 16, 2013 8:05 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane stop on the runway and the engine stop producing power during the takeoff. The private pilot/owner subsequently deplaned and hand propped the engine, which was not equipped with an electric starter, to restart it. The pilot continued the takeoff in tailwind conditions on the 2,500 feet of remaining up-sloping runway. The airplane lifted off the runway in a near-vertical climb and traveled about 2,900 feet before it rolled left and descended vertically to the ground. Flight control continuity was established during postaccident examinations; however, the engine could not be examined due to fire and impact damage. The airplane’s previous owner described the airplane’s design as inherently unstable and stated that higher airspeeds were required to maintain stability in all phases of flight and that the wing would dip very quickly in a stall.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a near-vertical climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/16/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 805 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pulaski |
| Event State | TENNESSEE |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 38478 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 350935N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0870401W |
| Event Location Airport | Abernathy Fielld |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | GZS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 34 |
| Airport Elevation | 689 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 756 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GZS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 675 |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.31 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KMRC 161315Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM 26/26 A3031GZ |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32811 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 17 2014 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N788T |
| NTSB Number | ERA13LA320 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | THOMPSON BRUCE D |
| Aircraft Model | SONERAI II |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 788 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 30 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Cliff J. Rosa |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Harvest |
| Aircraft Owner State | AL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 35749 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Cliff J. Rosa |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Harvest |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 35749 |
| 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 | GZS |
| Departure City | Pulaski |
| Departure State | TN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 805 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | GZS |
| Destination City | Pulaski |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 17 2014 1:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 5310 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |