Loss of Control in Flight · NTSB ERA13LA320
THOMPSON BRUCE D SONERAI II — Pulaski, TN
| Date | July 16, 2013 |
| Location | Pulaski, TN |
| Aircraft | THOMPSON BRUCE D SONERAI II (amateur-built) |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 24 |
| Pilot total time | 120 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 9 hrs |
| Fatalities | 1 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
What happened
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.