Event ATL04LA122

Factual narrative

On May 24, 2004, at 1554 eastern daylight time, a Quicksilver GT-500 experimental airplane, N5XY, registered to and operated by a student pilot, collided with trees during an attempt to take off after a bounced landing at Mountain Airpark, Cleveland, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The student pilot suffered serious injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Mathis Field, Cumming, Georgia on May 24, 2004, at an undetermined time. According to the student pilot, there was a "significant crosswind" at the time of landing. The student pilot stated that he cannot recall any other events prior to or during the accident. The owner of the property where the airplane came to rest stated that on the afternoon of the accident, the winds were gusting from a westerly direction. Witnesses stated that the airplane was landing toward the south, when the airplane bounced on the runway, and the pilot attempted to take-off. As the pilot maneuvered for the climb out, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, collided with 20-foot tall trees 20 feet from the edge of the runway, where it was lodged in a level attitude approximately 12 feet above the ground. The wreckage site was approximately mid-field, 20 feet left of the runway surface. A post-accident examination of the airplane was unable to be performed. Witnesses stated that the tail assembly was separated from the fuselage and both wings were crushed aft. Mountain Airpark in Cleveland, Georgia is a private fly-in community. The north-south oriented runway is 2800 feet long and 150 feet wide with trees surrounding all sides of the runway. The runway surface is turf/grass, and has a field elevation of 1438 feet above mean sea level. The Quicksilver GT-500 is a sport category, experimental aircraft. It has a reported take-off distance of 220 feet and landing distance of 260 feet. Pilot and aircraft logbooks were not recovered for examination, however, approximately one month prior to the accident, the student pilot reported four hours of total flight time on his medical examination application. Efforts to secure a 6120.1/2 NTSB Pilot/Operator Report from the pilot were unsuccessful. According to the student pilot, there was a "significant crosswind" at the time of landing. The student pilot stated that he cannot recall any other events prior to or during the accident. The owner of the property where the airplane came to rest stated that on the afternoon of the accident, the winds were gusting from a westerly direction. Witnesses stated that the airplane was landing toward the south, when the airplane bounced on the runway, and the pilot attempted to take-off. As the pilot maneuvered for the climb out, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway, collided with 20-foot tall trees 20 feet from the edge of the runway, where it was lodged in a level attitude approximately 12 feet above the ground. The wreckage site was approximately mid-field (1400 feet down the runway), 20 feet left of the runway surface. A post-accident examination of the airplane was unable to be performed. Witnesses stated that the tail assembly was separated from the fuselage and both wings were crushed aft.. The Quicksilver GT-500 is a sport category, experimental aircraft. It has a reported take-off distance of 220 feet and landing distance of 260 feet. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12