Belle Fourche, SD, USA
N312GR
Grice Avid Flyer
The airplane impacted the terrain during an aborted takeoff. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to check the propeller pitch because he had adjusted it. He reported that airplane was "sluggish" during the initial takeoff climb so he leveled off. He reported he checked the engine temperature and rpm, and the engine was close to "over revving." The pilot reported that because he had difficulty maintaining altitude, he decided to abort the takeoff by turning left into the wind so he could land on the grass alongside the runway. The pilot reported the airplane contacted the grass "…with a strong side load on the landing gear." Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the propeller had been adjusted to too high of a pitch setting.
On August 6, 2001, at 0830 mountain daylight time, a Grice Avid Flyer, N312GR, collided with the terrain during an aborted takeoff from runway 14 (4,498 feet by 60 feet, asphalt) at the Belle Fourche Municipal Airport, Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot reported the purpose of the flight was to check the propeller pitch because he had adjusted it. He reported that airplane was "sluggish" during the initial takeoff climb so he leveled off. He reported he checked the engine temperature and rpm, and the engine was close to "over revving." The pilot reported that because he had difficulty maintaining altitude, he decided to abort the takeoff by turning left into the wind so he could land on the grass alongside the runway. The pilot reported the airplane contacted the grass "…with a strong side load on the landing gear." The main landing gear collapsed during the landing. All three-propeller blades separated from the hub and the fuselage was twisted. Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the propeller had been adjusted to too high of a pitch setting.
The pilot failed to maintain aircraft control during the forced landing. A factor associated with the accident was the excessive adjustment that the pilot made to the propeller's pitch prior to the flight.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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