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BFO87DHD08

1987-08-21 · WILMINGTON, Delaware, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ILG

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES LOCATED OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF HIS HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT. HE STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTACLES (TREES) OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TOP OF THE TREES AND FELL TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT 'THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING GOOD, EVERYTHING SEEMED OK....AIRCRAFT HANDLED BEAUTIFULLY, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1987_BFO87DHD08.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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