Engineering & Research 415-C accident near Mebane, North Carolina, October 16, 2011
On October 16, 2011 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Engineering & Research 415-C, registered N3760H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Mebane, North Carolina (Kimrey Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2011 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mebane, North Carolina · Kimrey Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Engineering & Research 415-C · all 415-Cs on the register
- Registration
- N3760H · no longer on the register · serial 4385
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner stated that, as he began to taxi the airplane, the wind shifted. During takeoff, the airplane reached rotation speed at the midpoint of the runway, but at rotation the airplane would not climb, and the pilot noticed a loss of airspeed but no loss of engine power. Suspecting a shift in wind direction, the pilot aborted the takeoff; however, the airplane overran the departure end of the runway and struck a ditch and an embankment, damaging the nose. According to the pilot, there were no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane prior to the accident. He also reported that the airplane's takeoff weight was 23 pounds below its maximum allowable gross weight.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Sudden wind shift › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 14, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 2011; 21 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor A&C75 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7NC6 Mebane NC at 7:30 pm
- Destination: NC81 Apex NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from BUY, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 ERA12CA040.