Amateur-built SEAREY N242RM accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the degraded engine performance due to the improper servicing and maintenance of the fuel system.

NTSB analysis

According to an air traffic controller, shortly after takeoff, approximately 50 to 100 feet above ground level, the pilot contacted the tower controller and stated "...we're gonna," and the transmission ended. The tower controller said that when the airplane reached the departure end of the runway, the airplane entered a left bank and impacted terrain. The airplane came to rest inverted, adjacent to the runway. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the engine's fuel system contained brownish fluid, consistent with old and dirty automotive fuel. The pilot stated that he did not service the airplane with fuel prior to takeoff and that the airplane hadn’t been flown in at least 6 months. A postaccident examination revealed that the fuel system hoses were cracked and degraded, and one fuel line was improperly modified. Further, a conditional inspection of the airplane had not been completed in the previous 3 years. The engine was test run postaccident with fresh automotive fuel, and it ran normally for about 5 minutes at various power settings. Based on the tower controller's description of the accident sequence, it is likely the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall shortly after takeoff. It is also likely that the improper servicing and maintenance of the fuel system could have contributed to degraded engine performance.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN11LA374 for the full record.