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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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July 18, 2017 · Golden Circle Air T-Bird II · UNREG

Dunn Center, ND

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
July 18, 2017
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 minor injury)
Location
Dunn Center, ND
Aircraft
Golden Circle Air T-Bird II (1987)
Tail Number
UNREG
Injuries
Minor
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CEN17LA275

After filling the fuel tanks with fuel, the private pilot determined that the wind was about 7 knots from the north-northeast with gusts to 10 knots. He completed a preflight inspection and an engine run-up and then started the takeoff roll to the south on a gravel road. As the airplane lifted off, the left wing lifted. The airplane then rolled right and landed back on the road. With limited road available to stop the airplane, the pilot advanced the throttle and attempted another takeoff. The airplane did not lift off, and it continued through a fence and into a ditch. The airplane became airborne again, collided with power lines, and then descended nose first into the ground. It is likely that a quartering tailwind lifted the airplane's left wing after liftoff and that the pilot did not adequately correct for it, which resulted in the airplane touching down again. The pilot decided to continue the takeoff attempt with insufficient road length remaining, during which the airplane collided with obstacles on the ground, which prevented the airplane from having sufficient airspeed to climb over obstacles beyond the end of the road.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control, his inadequate quartering tailwind correction during takeoff, and his decision to continue the takeoff to the south with insufficient road length remaining.

Full Narrative

On July 17, 2017, about 1900 mountain daylight time an unregistered Golden Circle Air T-Bird II airplane impacted power lines and terrain near Dunn Center, North Dakota. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight had just departed from a gravel road. The pilot reported that about 1830 he filled the airplane's fuel tanks with fuel and pulled the airplane out of the storage building. He then walked out to the gravel road to observe the wind conditions for about 10 minutes and determined the wind was 7 to 8 knots from the north-northeast. He completed a preflight inspection, an engine run up, and then started the takeoff roll to the south on the gravel road. The airplane lifted off the gravel road and a wind gust lifted the left wing, the airplane rolled to the right and landed back on the gravel road. The pilot added that he wanted to abort the takeoff, but there wasn't enough gravel road remaining after the wheels touched the ground, so he advanced the throttle to attempt another takeoff. The airplane did not lift off, continued through a fence, and then into a ditch. The airplane became airborne when it exited the ditch and the pilot attempted to avoid power lines by turning left. The airplane collided with the power lines and then descended nose first into the ground.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:00 MDT
Nearest Airport0nm
Flight Plan FiledNone
Flight Plan ActivatedNo
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftGolden Circle Air T-Bird II
Tail NumberUNREG
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsRotax · 618 · Reciprocating · 75
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 minor injury)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor1
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 41 · Third Class · Minor

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind40° @ 13 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point50
Altimeter29.89 inHg
Observation Time23:56
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data