Magnaghi Aeronautica Spa SKY ARROW LSA accident near Chapman, Kansas, June 2, 2017
On June 2, 2017 at about 8:10 pm local time, a 2016 Magnaghi Aeronautica Spa SKY ARROW LSA, registered N600US, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Chapman, Kansas (Prairie Cottage airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral/bank control during the takeoff climb in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2017 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Chapman, Kansas · Prairie Cottage · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Magnaghi Aeronautica Spa SKY ARROW LSA NO SERIES, built 2016 · all SKY ARROW LSAs on the register
- Registration
- N600US · no longer on the register · serial LSA026
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during takeoff from a private turf airstrip, about 50 ft above the ground, the airplane encountered a wind gust that "quickly" lifted the left wing and pushed the airplane to the right. He added that he attempted to level the wings, but he "did not have enough aileron." Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain in a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature was 85°, the sky was clear, and the wind was from 200° at 5 knots and not gusting. He took off from runway 23. An automated weather observation station, about 14 nautical miles from the accident airport, recorded wind from 170° at 9 knots, gusting to 20 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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,752 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 4,751 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 23, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 41 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 2, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS2-01 (piston); 41 hours total
- Operator: US Aero LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: 8KS8 Chapman KS at 8:10 pm
- Destination: 3JC Junction City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 1,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 7:58 pm from KFRI, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA17CA319.