NTSB Factual Report

On July 13, 2002, at 1200 central daylight time, a Baughman KR-2, N290KB, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during takeoff. The pilot was departing runway 17 ( 4,200 feet x 75 feet, concrete) at the Scribner State Airport (SCB), Scribner, Nebraska, with the intention of remaining in the traffic pattern in order to practice takeoffs and landings. Immediately after liftoff, the airplane drifted to the left and gradually descended into the grass area adjacent to the runway. The nose gear subsequently collapsed and the airplane flipped over. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The pilot was not injured.

The pilot stated that "at 60 [the airplane] didn't liftoff -- apply little more elevator, leave the ground, immediately notice: 1. nose high attitude; 2. grass under me. . . . the sight of grass distracted me so I didn't correct attitude. Next I hear what I think is rolling on the ground, then a large breaking sound as the nose gear is bent under the engine, and the ground coming closer as the engine falls." Further, the pilot reported that the airplane continued to nose over and came to rest inverted in the grass area adjacent to the runway surface, oriented approximately 30 degrees from the runway heading.

The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with airplane--single-engine land and instrument--airplane ratings, and was issued a third class medical certificate in May 2001. His most recent biennial flight review was on July 18, 2001, and he has accumulated 556 hours total flight time. Of that, two (2) hours were in the same make and model as the accident aircraft.

The Baughman KR-2 airplane, S/N 6077, involved in the accident completed an annual inspection on July 1, 2001. The pilot reported a total time of approximately 23 hours on the airframe/engine, and two (2) hours since the annual inspection. The pilot did not report any malfunctions or failures associated with the aircraft or engine prior to, or at the time of, the accident.

Weather conditions at the scene were reported by the pilot as clear, essentially calm winds (270 deg at 1 knot), with unrestricted visibilities and no turbulence. The Fremont Municipal Airport (FET) AWOS, located twelve (12) nm southeast (140 degrees), at 1150 cdt, reported scattered clouds at 3,800 feet agl, ten (10) miles visibility and calm winds.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's excessive rotation and his failure to attain climb which resulted in a stall/mush.