Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR C-4000 N6298

Summary

On 27 August 2006 at about 21:00 local time, a Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR C-4000 registered N6298 was involved in an accident near Elmira, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 August 2006 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Elmira, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Crow-Mag Airstrip

Coordinates

44.0614, -123.3903

Aircraft

Curtiss-Wright TRAVEL AIR C-4000

Registration

N6298

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elmira → Florence

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA06LA169

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain an airspeed above stall speed (Vs) while turning to avoid trees along the side of the runway during the initial climbout after takeoff. Factors include, a variable wind that became a tailwind, and trees growing near the side of the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

At the time the pilot took off, the winds were variable in direction and blowing between five and ten knots. During the takeoff roll, liftoff, and initial climb, the aircraft performed normally, but as it reached tree-top level, the wind shifted to a tailwind, and the aircraft stopped climbing and began to sink. At the same time, the aircraft drifted toward the side of the 60-foot wide runway, and this resulted in the pilot having to turn twice in order to avoid trees growing near the side of the runway. During the second turn, the pilot failed to maintain an airspeed above stall speed, and therefore the aircraft stalled, rolled to the left, and descended into the house. No evidence of any problem with the engine or flight controls were found during the post-accident inspection of the aircraft, and the pilot stated that he felt the engine was running fine, and that there did not seem to be any problems with the flight controls.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.