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New plane, new problems

By NTSB · July 9, 2021 ·

The pilot was transitioning to a new airplane, an Avid Flyer. During his first takeoff from the airport in York, S.C., he had his left hand on the control stick and his right hand on the throttle.

About 10 feet above the runway, he intended to pitch the nose up to initiate a climb. However, he inadvertently pulled back on the throttle control with his right hand. The airplane’s airspeed decreased, the left wing aerodynamically stalled, and the airplane hit an adjacent corn field, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadvertent reduction of power during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the pilot’s inadvertent reduction of power was his lack of experience with his left hand on the control stick and right hand on the throttle.

NTSB Identification: 99846

This July 2019 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

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Comments

  1. James says

    July 12, 2021 at 6:54 pm

    I have been following the development of the Moller Skycar off and on for decades.
    Skycar demonstrated tethered hovering capability in 2003 and back in the day waiting for computer technologies to catch up with being able to control engines’ stability in flight and recover a failed engine.
    Moller International applied for Experimental Airworthiness Certification on June 21, 2011, for the M400 Skycar with the FAA who accepted the application. Demonstration flight plans were scheduled for October 2011 and a flight test consultant was maintained by Moller International. However, no demonstration flight ever occurred. Why?
    Why apply to the FAA if they were not ready to test fly it? Nothing about Moller International makes any sense.
    I read about the former development lab facilities having a wind tunnel with all the testing for the M400 done.
    So, I am left searching for the reasons why the M400 never made any of the planned test flights for the logical progression for its development. I can’t seem to learn why the M400 never got test flown.

  2. JOHN+SWALLOW says

    July 12, 2021 at 8:46 am

    Flying with your left hand on the ‘stick’ and right hand on the throttle is like kissing your sister; I mean: you can do it, but it’s just weird!

    (And the reason I fly my RV from the right (and correct) seat…) (;>0)

    PS And yet, when I get in an aircraft with yoke, flying left seat is fine…

  3. Tom Curran says

    July 12, 2021 at 8:23 am

    Not to sound critical; however, it’d be interesting to know what other planes he’d flown. I acknowledge that ‘muscle memory’ can be a factor, but in what other airplane do you pull a knob out of the dashboard with your right hand (or left hand) to initiate a climb?

    Glad he wasn’t hurt.

  4. gbigs says

    July 12, 2021 at 7:18 am

    How do you “inadvertently” pull back on a throttle? The stick is between your legs, the throttle is a knob on the dash. This guy must not be able to ride a bike either.

    • Wylbur Wrong says

      July 12, 2021 at 3:15 pm

      Reading the NTSB report, one sees that he is a helicopter pilot transiting to this fixed wing airplane. I bet he not only can ride a bike, but a unicycle on an oiled floor.

      And I agree with another poster, this pilot needed to spend time in the plane with the engine off, “chair” flying to break himself in for this aircraft.

  5. Jim+Macklin.+ATP/CFII. says

    July 12, 2021 at 6:39 am

    Cockpit time, running checklists, identifying controls with engine off is cheap insurance.
    The do same with wheels choked and tied down and engine running.
    Having a CFI or at least a qualified observer isn’t a bad idea. A lot less expensive than fixing a wreck.

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