Accident Details
On August 19, 2012, at 0915 central daylight time, an Aeropro CZ, registration N812S, impacted terrain during takeoff from Woodfield Airpark Inc in Lockwood, Missouri. The airplane lifted off the runway, settled back onto the ground, and subsequently impacted a tree. The pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.
Pilot's Account
The pilot reported that during the takeoff from the northeast runway, which was 1,700 feet by 120 feet of rough turf, he applied forward pressure on the control stick while holding right rudder control input after the airplane lifted off slightly. The right main landing gear then contacted the runway, and the airplane began to turn right. The pilot stated that normally at this point the airplane would have attained a positive rate of climb, but during the accident takeoff it did not feel as though it was accelerating or climbing as it had during prior takeoffs. The pilot aborted the takeoff because he felt the airplane was not going to fly. He was convinced the airplane remained in a stall as it touched back down and until it impacted trees.
Regarding the throttle, the pilot stated he pulled on the throttle control to reduce engine power with a lot of effort, but his thumb was not positioned to depress the release button on the vernier throttle control, which was located next to a panel-mounted brake control. The airplane was not equipped with toe brakes.
The pilot noted he had never encountered an airplane with a vernier throttle control and a panel-mounted brake control. He had received a light sport aircraft checkout and flight review in an airplane identical to the accident airplane except that it did not have a vernier throttle control; that airplane had a push-pull throttle control installed by the owner.
Flight Information
The airplane was registered to DNS Ventures LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the flight, which was originating at the time of the accident.