North American NAVION N91418

Summary

On 23 July 2015 at about 14:45 local time, a North American NAVION registered N91418, operated by Air Group 88 LLC, was involved in an accident near Waynesboro, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 July 2015 at 14:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Waynesboro, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Eagle's Nest Airport (W13)

Coordinates

38.0739, -78.9494

Aircraft

North American NAVION

Registration

N91418

Category

Airplane

Year built

1946

Engines

1

Operator

Air Group 88 LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Waynesboro → Monticello

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA15LA282

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's early rotation of the airplane and his failure to attain a positive climb rate during takeoff with the airplane near its aft center of gravity limit from a runway with little margin for error.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot was attempting to depart on a personal cross-county flight from a 2,004-ft-long-runway. The pilot reported that, before the flight, he loaded the airplane with baggage and filled both wing tanks and the auxiliary fuel tank. He added that he rotated the airplane at 65 mph and that, during the rotation, the airplane failed to climb, and the airspeed did not increase. The pilot then leveled the airplane briefly to achieve 70 mph and increased the pitch, but the airplane still would not climb. A witness reported that the airplane pitched up and remained in ground effect with the wings rocking back and forth as it flew down the length of the runway. Another witness stated that, when the airplane rotated, it appeared to lose lift and could not climb out of ground effect. The airplane hit trees past the end of the runway and then came to rest in a pond. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Given the pilot's statements, it is likely he rotated the airplane early and attempted to gain airspeed while in ground effect and then pitched up the airplane as he neared the end of the runway. Postaccident calculations revealed that the airplane was near its maximum gross weight and aft center of gravity limit, which combined with the high-density altitude conditions, would have resulted in the airplane pitching up more than expected and its inability to climb and increased the required takeoff distance, leaving little margin for error.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.