No fatalities

14 Jun 2012: Evektor-Aerotechnik AS Sportstar Plus — Sky Raider Aviation — Erie, CO

Erie, CO, United States

On 14 Jun 2012, an Evektor-Aerotechnik AS Sportstar Plus operated by Sky Raider Aviation was involved in an aviation accident near Erie, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot’s improper performance of a soft field takeoff procedure, which resulted in a loss of airplane control, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action to correct the situation. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a soft field takeoff practice, the aircraft drifted right, slow to gain airspeed; the instructor took control but the right wing clipped a roof, then hit a driveway, slid, and struck a stop sign.

Incident Overview

According to the instructor’s accident report, a student pilot was conducting a soft field takeoff on runway 33 with 15 degrees of flaps deployed. As the airplane rotated, it began to drift to the right side of the runway and was slow to gain airspeed because it was in the takeoff configuration.

Sequence of Events

The student pilot lowered the nose in an attempt to increase airspeed, but the airplane continued to drift to the right. The instructor then took control, felt resistance in the control yoke, and called for full control. The instructor pulled back on the control yoke to climb in an attempt to clear a house adjacent to the runway. During this maneuver, the right wing clipped a portion of the roof, impacted the driveway, and slid across the street, striking a stop sign at a road intersection.

Postaccident Examination

A postaccident examination of the airplane failed to show any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

Student pilotInstructor/check pilot