Rans S17 accident near Lowell, MI

On August 24, 2014, a Rans S17 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lowell, MI. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

August 24, 2014

Place

Lowell, MI

Aircraft

Rans S17 · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

42.954°N, 85.344°W

NTSB ID

20140826X95532

Official records · CEN14LA454

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Communication Summary - P Nicholls: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Communication Summary - J Ostrander: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 24, 2014, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an unregistered Rans S17 airplane, impacted trees and terrain during a takeoff at the Lowell City Airport (24C), near Lowell, Michigan. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The unregistered airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating from 24C at the time of the accident. A witness who lived adjacent to 24C saw a small tailwheel airplane taxiing somewhat "erratically" up and down runway 6. The witness also saw a local pilot at 24C. That local pilot told the witness that the airplane had been his and that the pilot in the airplane had just purchased it. The local pilot expressed concern to the witness in reference with what he had seen of the pilot's handling of the airplane and conveyed that he offered to reverse the airplane sale. The new owner replied that he felt confident in his ability to master the new airplane based on "hundreds of hours" in a weight-shift trike and limited experience in a registered tailwheel airplane. The witness observed the new owner apply full power and take off. According to the witness, the conditions were not ideal for a test flight; winds were relatively light but varying in speed and direction. The new owner flew the airplane for about five minutes around the airfield about 500 feet above ground leve

Probable cause

The pilot’s overconfidence, which led to his improper decision to continue flight in the recently purchased, unregistered airplane without acquiring training and to his continued erratic handling of the airplane and subsequent loss of airplane control.

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Browse: Michigan · Rans aircraft

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.