NTSB CAROL · Event
Event DEN88LA208
Registry · N44HV
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
AVIAT AIRCRAFT INC S-2C
Year of manufacture
2003
Engine
LYCOMING AEIO-540 SER (260 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20030709
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A54907
Registrant of record
MARINELLA STEVE
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Factual narrative
THE PRIVATE PLT AND 4 PAX WERE ATTEMPTING TAKEOFF ON RWY 13, A 3,900 X 30 FT ASPHALT RWY. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT ACCELERATED TO 100 KNOTS BUT HE COULD NOT RAISE THE NOSE FOR LIFT OFF. THE PLT SAID HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED TO THE RT; HOWEVER, A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT LEFT THE RWY AT HIGH SPEED AND THE ENGINES SOUNDED AS IF THEY WERE AT FULL POWER. A POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BY AN FAA INVESTIGATOR REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-ACCIDENT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE INVESTIGATOR SAID THAT THE GROUND IMPRESSIONS SHOWED NO INDICATION OF BRAKING AND INDICATED THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED 400 FEET BEYOND THE RWY. A SHORT DISTANCE FARTHER, THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACFT CAME TO REST IN A DITCH, 900 FEET AFTER LEAVING THE RWY AND SLIGHTLY RIGHT OF THE EXTENDED RWY CENTER LINE. IN A POST ACC INTERVIEW CONCERNING THE CONTROLS POSSIBLY BEING LOCKED THE PLT STATED THAT THE CONTROL LOCK HAD BEEN MISSING FOR 'SEVERAL WEEKS.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1988_DEN88LA208.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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