Lee Paul SQ 2000 N416

Summary

On 28 August 2012 at about 14:49 local time, a Lee Paul SQ 2000 registered N416 was involved in an accident near Pierre, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 2012 at 14:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Pierre, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Pierre Regional Airport (KPIR)

Coordinates

44.3761, -100.2847

Aircraft

Lee Paul SQ 2000

Registration

N416

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pierre → Pierre

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12FA579

1 person died.

The airplane's entry into a pilot-induced oscillation and the pilot’s loss of airplane control during the takeoff initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the left entrance door opening in flight for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the airplane’s initial takeoff climb, two ground witnesses observed the left “gull-wing” entrance door to be open. They reported that when the airplane was about 50 feet above the ground, it entered a series of approximately four pitch oscillations. During the last pitch-down oscillation, the airplane impacted the runway at a steep descent angle and then skidded forward about 500 feet, coming to a stop near the right side of the runway. A postimpact fire ensued. Examination of the airframe, engine, propeller and the door did not reveal any anomalies associated with a preimpact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.