NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ERA16CA278
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot’s premature rotation during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a hard landing.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the weight-shift aircraft reported that during takeoff he pitched upward excessively early for the aircraft's weight. Several feet above the ground, the aircraft descended and bounced off the runway. The pilot tried to regain control and take off again, but the aircraft came back down and bounced on the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft slid down the runway approximately 75 feet before coming to rest. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the aircraft. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot of the weight-shift-control aircraft reported that, during takeoff, he pitched upward excessively early for the aircraft's weight. Several feet above the ground, the aircraft descended and bounced off the runway. The pilot tried to regain control and take off again, but the aircraft came back down and bounced on the runway. The left main landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft slid down the runway about 75 ft before coming to rest. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the aircraft that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuselage was substantially damaged. 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-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- C Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-Incorrect action selection-Pilot - C
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2016_ERA16CA278.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2024 · Journal article (IJAAA)
The Impact of Thunderstorms on Take-off Data in South Africa
Aviation and meteorology are entwined disciplines, as aviation occurs in the atmosphere. Prevailing weather conditions at take-off are of utmost importance to aviation.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Technical Memorandum (TM)
Thunderstorm hazards flight research: Storm hazards 1980 overview
A highly instrumented NASA F-106B aircraft, modified for the storm hazards mission and protected against direct lightning strikes, was used in conjunction with various ground based radar and lightning…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Proceedings
Operational evaluation of thunderstorm penetration test flights during project Storm Hazards '80
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is conducting a research project called Storm Hazards '80 in order to study the prediction, detectability and avoidance of the hazards of severe storm…
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Conference Paper
Some Measured Characteristics of Severe Storm Turbulence
Measurements of atmospheric turbulence obtained from airplane flights through severe storms in connection with the National Severe Storms Project will be discussed.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Nowcasting Thunderstorm Anvil Clouds Over KSC/CCAFS
Electrified thunderstorm anvil clouds extend the threat of natural and triggered lightning to space launch and landing operations far beyond the immediate vicinity of thunderstorm cells.
- NASA NTRS 2019 · Contractor Report (CR)
An Examination of Aviation Accidents Associated with Turbulence, Wind Shear and Thunderstorm
The focal point of the study reported here was the definition and examination of turbulence, wind shear and thunderstorm in relation to aviation accidents.
Browse the full corpus — academia portal ↗