Amateur-built Baby Ace N39D accident near Carolina Beach, North Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree during initial climb after takeoff.

NTSB analysis

According to a witness, after performing a touch and go, the pilot initiated a left turnout from the runway, which was bordered by trees on its left side. While still climbing, the airplane's left wing struck a pine tree approximately 1 foot below its top. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest nose-down, almost vertical, in a sandy area next to a parking lot. He also noted a broken branch from a 40- to 50-foot pine tree approximately 1,000 feet from the beginning of the 2,750-foot runway. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions of the airplane or engine. The pilot did not respond to an NTSB request for information about the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA10CA311 for the full record.