Genesis N3449 accident near Linesville, Pennsylvania

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a climbing turn after takeoff and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin at an altitude too low for recovery. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the airplane with an inoperative airspeed indicator.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot departed on a local flight with a 5-kt tailwind in the experimental, light sport airplane. Witnesses described that, shortly after takeoff, about 500 ft above ground level, the airplane began a right turn before it stalled and entered a spin, descending to ground contact about 1,800 ft from the departure end of the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation; however, the fuselage, cockpit, and instrumentation were consumed by postimpact fire.

The pilot purchased the airplane about 2 1/2 years before the accident; however, his logbook indicated that he had flown the airplane only once, for 5 hours, since that time. A witness reported that the pilot had expressed that he "did not trust his aircraft." Just before the flight, the witness heard the pilot say that the airspeed indicator was inoperative, but the pilot had declined his offer to borrow one and proceeded to takeoff.

Given the witness observations and the lack of mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the pilot allowed the airplane's airspeed to decay during the right turn after takeoff and exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall/spin. Fire damage precluded functional testing of the airspeed indicator. However, the airplane's lack of a functional airspeed indicator, as reported by the witness, likely rendered the pilot with no, or possibly inaccurate, information regarding the airplane's airspeed.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA17FA223 for the full record.