October 11, El Cajon, Calif. / Max Holste Broussard

At about 1145 Pacific time, an Avions Max Holste MH 1521 Broussard stalled during takeoff from Gillespie Field and was substantially damaged in the hard landing that followed. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported that several airplanes were waiting for takeoff. Abandoning his usual procedure of lining up on the centerline and then releasing the brakes after obtaining 2,500 rpm, he expedited his takeoff roll. When the tail wheel did not lift as expected, the pilot tried to add nose down trim but before he could do so, the airplane ballooned about eight feet into the air. Subsequently the aircraft bounced and the right wingtip collided with the ground. The left g...

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Key Takeaways:

  • An Avions Max Holste MH 1521 Broussard was substantially damaged after stalling during an expedited takeoff from Gillespie Field, though the pilot and three passengers were uninjured.
  • The pilot deviated from his usual takeoff procedure to expedite the roll, resulting in insufficient airspeed when the aircraft ballooned and subsequently impacted the ground multiple times.
  • The pilot attributed the stall to a lack of takeoff airspeed and suggested that additional nose-down trim could have prevented the accident.
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At about 1145 Pacific time, an Avions Max Holste MH 1521 Broussard stalled during takeoff from Gillespie Field and was substantially damaged in the hard landing that followed. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The pilot reported that several airplanes were waiting for takeoff. Abandoning his usual procedure of lining up on the centerline and then releasing the brakes after obtaining 2,500 rpm, he expedited his takeoff roll. When the tail wheel did not lift as expected, the pilot tried to add nose down trim but before he could do so, the airplane ballooned about eight feet into the air. Subsequently the aircraft bounced and the right wingtip collided with the ground. The left gear and the propeller contacted the ground and the engine stopped, and then the left wing tip impacted the ground. The pilot reported that he stalled the airplane due to lack of takeoff airspeed and that additional nose down trim could have prevented the accident.

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