While Attempting A “Jump” Takeoff... The Airplane Assumed A Nose High Attitude And Turned Sharply To The Left

Location: Spanish Fork, Utah Accident Number: WPR23LA194
Date & Time: May 21, 2023, 12:38 Local Registration: N668LD
Aircraft: Cubcrafters CCX-2300 Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight Injuries: 2 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

Analysis: The pilot reported that while attempting a “jump” takeoff, which he had only practiced with an instructor two years prior, the airplane assumed a nose high attitude and turned sharply to the left. The pilot pushed the stick forward and used rudder and ailerons to straighten the airplane, but his attempt to decrease the angle of attack was unsuccessful. He then retracted the flaps to “lower the nose,” and the airplane descended and impacted the top of a hangar, which 
resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and left and right wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be -- The pilot's decision to attempt an unfamiliar takeoff technique, his failure to maintain pitch control during takeoff, and his subsequent decision to retract flaps at a low altitude, which resulted in a descent into a building.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov