Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS accident near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, August 9, 2010
On August 9, 2010 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS, registered N927LA, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lancaster, Pennsylvania (Lancaster Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2010 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania · Lancaster Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Evektor-Aerotechnik As SPORTSTAR PLUS · all SPORTSTAR PLUSs on the register
- Registration
- N927LA · no longer on the register · serial 20070927
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, he began the takeoff roll for his solo flight on runway 26, a 6,934-foot-long, 150-foot-wide, asphalt runway. When the airspeed reached about 40 knots, the airplane “got out of control” and veered to the left because the student pilot “overcompensated” with rudder. He attempted to regain control of the airplane by reducing engine power; however, the airplane lifted off the runway. The pilot then added full power; however, the airplane began to descend, and he realized that it would not clear a corn field located to the left of the runway. The pilot then elected to reduce engine power again. The airplane touched down in a field and struck a bale of hay, substantially damaging the left wing and fuselage. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane. He noted that his total flight experience was 19 hours, all of which were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 7 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
- Ground collision during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 19 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 949 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 5, 2010; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,268 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Liberty Sport Aviation LP
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,934 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LNS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA10CA413.