Rotec RALLY 3 N316SR

Summary

On 13 April 1985 at about 18:30 local time, a Rotec RALLY 3 registered N316SR was involved in an accident near Alta Vista, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 April 1985 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Alta Vista, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Private Strip

Coordinates

37.1205, -79.2796

Aircraft

Rotec RALLY 3

Registration

N316SR

Category

Ultralight

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO85LA039

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

EACH TIME THE PILOT APPLIED NOSE UP PITCH CONTROL AFTER TAKE OFF, THE ACFT SETTLED BUT WOULD MAINTAIN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT WHEN THE CONTROLS WERE NEUTRALIZED. DUE TO THE SETTLING EFFECT, OBSTRUCTION CLEARANCE COULD NOT BE ATTAINEDAND THE ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS EJECTED WHEN THE STITCHING OF HIS LAP BELT FAILED. THE ACFT AS PREVIOUSLY FLOWN SUCCESSFULLY SEVERAL TIMES AFTER ASSEMBLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S KIT, BUT ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT A 150 LB SAND BAG WAS STRAPPED INTO THE RIGHT SEAT. WITH THE ADDITIONAL WEIGHT, THE SPOILER CABLES TIGHTENED AS THE WINGS PRODUCED LIFT, TO THE POINT THAT THEY INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED WITH APPLICATION OF AFT STICK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.