THE DTSB
The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the pilot suffered an engine failure immediately after takeoff, at around 100-150 feet AGL, but reacted improperly by raising aircraft pitch and beginning a turn. The aircraft immediately stalled and entered a one half turn spin, impacting on the field nearly vertical.
NTSB
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot/builder’s modifications of the motorglider’s engine, which resulted in an excessively lean fuel air mixture, preignition, piston failure, and a subsequent total loss of engine power
during the initial climb. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and his exceedance of the motorglider’s critical angle of attack following the loss of engine
power, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin at an altitude too low to recover.
THE DTSB
The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft become educated and conditioned for proper pilot response when dealing with AQP 11, Loss of Thrust On Takeoff (LOTOT). Conditioning only comes through repeated and recurrent practice of an immediate lowering of pitch, wings level, and land straight ahead. The DTSB recommends frequent AQP conditioning for all AQP scenarios. This excerpt from the NTSB final report: “Had the pilot aggressively lowered the nose of the motorglider to maintain airspeed following the loss of engine power, it is likely that he could have avoided the low altitude aerodynamic stall/spin and landed within the remaining available runway.
NTSB
None issued. NTSB recommendations are rare and usually tied to high-profile accidents.
See the NTSB Recommendation Tracker →