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Atlas / NTSB / ERA11CA256

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event ERA11CA256

2011-04-21 Locust Grove, Georgia, United States Airport · GA04 None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N190GE

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

VAN'S AIRCRAFT RV-8

Engine

LYCOMING O-360-A1A (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

2 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

20050701

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A168C6

Registrant of record

HI LINE MOTORSPORTS INC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the takeoff roll, at approximately 45 knots, the airplane's tail lifted off the ground and the airplane immediately turned left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder, brake, and aileron inputs; however, the airplane's right wing and propeller struck the ground. The pilot reduced power, and the airplane continued for approximately 150 feet before it nosed over. The airplane subsequently came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies of the brake system or rudder controls. The pilot of the experimental amateur-built, tailwheel-equipped airplane stated that during the takeoff roll, at approximately 45 knots, the airplane's tail lifted off the ground and the airplane immediately turned left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder, brake, and aileron inputs; however, the airplane's right wing and propeller struck the ground. The pilot reduced power, and the airplane continued for approximately 150 feet before it nosed over. The airplane subsequently came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies of the brake system or rudder controls. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_ERA11CA256.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.