# Accident 19850513016409A: Piper PA36285, Rapelje, MT, May 13, 1985

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 13, 1985, 15:15 local time
- Place: Rapelje, MT
- Airport: Top Hand
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Location: 45.9500° N, 109.2697° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9500&lon=-109.2697&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44260, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44260-1989-03-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-36-285 (registry code 7103610, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-36-285) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA36285
- Reported engine: LYC IO720A1B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,881 total, 500 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN85LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN85LA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850513016409A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AFTER TAKEOFF AT 60 FEET, AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO CREEKBED AS AIRSPEED DECREASED. PROBABLE EARLY LIFTOFF.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN85LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN85LA133), May 13, 1985: Piper PA-36 (N44260), Rapelje, MT, destroyed

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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