Amateur-built DUO DEUCE N808DD accident near Stafford, Virginia

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot was also the owner and builder of the experimental, amateur-built airplane, which was a twin-engine airplane built from a single-engine airplane kit. The accident flight was the airplane's first flight, and it was captured by two airport security cameras as well as an on-board video recorded with the pilot's cell phone. The videos revealed that the airplane performed a shallow takeoff and initial climb. Almost immediately after takeoff, the airplane's track diverged from the runway centerline toward the right side of the runway and over the grass apron. Both propellers were operating at the same speed during the takeoff roll and throughout the entire flight. The airplane stopped climbing at what appeared to be treetop height, the wings rocked, and the airplane's nose continued to pitch up as it descended until ground contact, consistent with an aerodynamic stall.

Although the pilot provided multiple statements that differed in their accounting of events after the accident, postaccident visual examination of the wreckage, the cell phone video of the propellers, and an operational test of the right engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Thus, it is likely that the pilot did not attain adequate airspeed for the takeoff and initial climb, which resulted in an exceedance of the critical angle of attack and subsequent aerodynamic stall.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA16LA204 for the full record.