No fatalities

11 Aug 2018: Bushby MUSTANG II No Series — Bald Eagle Aviation Llc — Akron, CO

Akron, CO, United States

On 11 Aug 2018, a Bushby MUSTANG II No Series operated by Bald Eagle Aviation Llc was involved in an aviation accident near Akron, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s improper preflight planning that did not identify the unserviceable runway; his subsequent decision to attempt to takeoff from the rough, grassy runway; and his selection of an abort point with insufficient runway remaining, which resulted in a… This summary draws on records from NTSB; 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported misjudging the abort point on a grass runway with tall weeds, causing an overrun, crossing a road, and striking a barbed wire fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, while flying over the grass runway, it appeared "rough but serviceable." During the landing, he found the surface was extremely rough with tall weeds.

Departure and Accident Sequence

During departure, acceleration was "less than normal" due to the vegetation. When the airplane reached the pilot's planned abort point, the pilot realized that he had misjudged the abort point for the runway. He initially thought his selected abort point was about 800 to 1,000 ft before the end of the runway, but it was actually about 100 to 200 ft before the end. The airplane overran the runway, crossed a road, and struck a barbed wire fence.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Runway Information

The Federal Aviation Administration Airport Facility Directory for the accident airport stated: "[Runways] not recommended for [takeoff or landing]."

Contributing factors

PilotDecision related to condition