Amateur-built STEEN SKY BOLT N233VW accident near High Point, North Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings during his second flight in the newly-acquired airplane. According to witnesses, after landing long on the 2,365-foot turf and gravel runway, the pilot initiated another takeoff and climb. The airplane subsequently began to turn, and the left main landing gear struck unmarked power lines 34 feet off the ground, about 110 yards beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane then cartwheeled into the ground and caught fire. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies. Toxicological testing indicated that the pilot used a prescription sleep aid the previous evening, but that impairment at the time of the accident was unlikely. The pilot was required to wear corrective lenses; however, it is unknown if he was wearing them at the time of the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09LA371 for the full record.