The pilot was in the front seat of the Rans S7 and a passenger, who is a flight instructor, was in the rear seat.
Due to his serious injuries, the pilot was unable to recall what happened during the accident.
The passenger reported that during the takeoff from the airport in Gardner, Kansas, the airplane began to drift to the right.
It came near another airplane that was on the grass and the pilot “pitched up” to avoid the other airplane.
The airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at an altitude too low to allow for recovery. The passenger estimated the aerodynamic stall occurred at 50 feet AGL.
The airplane hit terrain, came to rest upright, and a post-impact fire ensued.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings.
The passenger reported that the engine was producing full power until the time of impact, and he did not hear any abnormal engine noises during the accident flight.
A post-accident examination confirmed flight control continuity for the airframe.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during the takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of airplane control at too low of an altitude to recover.
NTSB Identification: 174534
To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.
This May 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
