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GAA19CA332

2019-06-08 · Rose Hill, Kansas, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport K50

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's improper trim configuration during the takeoff roll, which resulted in the airplane becoming prematurely airborne, and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane's trim was set to a "significant nose up attitude" and the airplane prematurely departed the runway surface. The airplane climbed about 10ft above ground level and "the aircraft stalled." The airplane descended and impacted the runway. The airplane's engine caught fire and the occupants were able to egress. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, the trim was set to a "significant nose up attitude," and the airplane prematurely became airborne. The airplane climbed about 10 ft above ground level, stalled, and then descended and impacted the runway. The engine caught fire, and the occupants egressed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Pilot - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Configuration-Incorrect use/operation - C
  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Capability exceeded - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2019_GAA19CA332.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall). All research papers