# Accident 19970109000269A: Piper PA28R200, Lebanon, TN, January 9, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 9, 1997, 16:15 local time
- Place: Lebanon, TN
- Airport: Lebanon Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.2007° N, 86.3207° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.2007&lon=-86.3207&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1434X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1434X-2012-06-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-200 (registry code 7102811, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R200
- Reported engine: LYC IO360C1C6
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 12 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL97LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA033) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970109000269A

## Narrative

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

LANDED IN FARM FIELD DUE WEATHER AND LOW FUEL. STALLED ON TALKEOFF AVOIDING WIRES AND TREES. (-23) PILOT STATED EXCESSIVE HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE WAS CONTRIBUTORY TO MAKING PRECAUTINARY LANDING IN LARGE OPEN PASTURE (ABOUT 3 MILES FROM LEBANON AIRPORT).  FOUND BREAK IN OVERCAST AND DESCENDED FROM APPROXIMATELY 11,000 FEET AND MADE PERFECT SOFT FIELD LANDING.  DECIDED TO FLY TO LEBANON AIRPORT (3 MILES).  WAITED APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS, ENGINE TEMPERATURES COOLED.  STARTED ENGINE, TAXIIED DOWN PASTURE AND BACK TO TOP OF HILL.  WARM-UP AND GROUND CHECK COMPLETED.  ENGINE INSTRUMENTS WERE NORMAL.  APPROXIMATELY 27OO FEET TO ROTATE SPEED POINT.  STARTED TAKEOFF. APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN TO ROTATE POINT, HIT SMALL BUMP IN TURF CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO BECOME PREMATURELY AIRBORNE.  HAD TO STAY AIRBORNE BECAUSE OF DITCH AT BOTTOM OF HILL AND POWER LINE PARALLEL WITH DITCH.  CLEARED DITCH, FLEW BELOW POWER LINE AND STARTED CLIMB.  ABOUT 1800 FEET OF OPEN PASTURE REMAINING.  AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET ALTITUDE, DECIDED TO TURN LEFT INTO STRONG WESTERLY WIND (20-25 MPH).  LEFT WING APPARENTLY STALLED AND AIRCRAFT IMPACTED WITH GROUND, WINGS LE                                                         VEL. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. MINOR HEAD INJURY.

## 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 ATL97LA033](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL97LA033), Jan 9, 1997: Piper PA-28R-200 (N1434X), Lebanon, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper short, soft field takeof. A factor was the pilot's poor in-flight decision to operate over an overcast until near the airplane's maximum endurance.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.