What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft struck power lines, crashed into trees while departing a private strip. (.4)the flight was taking off on a runway that was part asphalt and part grass. The takeoff roll was started on the asphalt, and when the airplane reached the grass part of the runway, the pilot said he attempted to 'dump' the chemicals about 100 feet from the end of the runway, because the airplane would not come off the ground. The pilot was interviewed at his home by the sheriff, and said; '...upon taking off, the plane would just not get up...he flew the plane earlier without a problem...when he dumped the load of chemicals on the runway, the plane went up, hit the top of a power pole with a wing and then went down into small pines....' The FAA inspector's reported stated that pilot said 'he had problems with aircraft performance on climbout.' Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any discrepancies. Several witnesses ran to the crash to aid the pilot, and they stated that when they reach the pilot they saw that he 'staggered and smelled of alcohol.' The witnesses said they did not see him consume anything bef ore he got into a car 'bronco' and leave the scene. A test taken in the hospital about 2 hours after the accident showed an ethanol level of 143 mg/dl in the pilot's blood. (-23) see narrative #MIA97LA208
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES, CRASHED INTO TREES WHILE DEPARTING A PRIVATE STRIP. (.4)THE FLIGHT WAS TAKING OFF ON A RUNWAY THAT WAS PART ASPHALT AND PART GRASS. THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS STARTED ON THE ASPHALT, AND WHEN THE AIRPLANE REACHED THE GRASS PART OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO 'DUMP' THE CHEMICALS ABOUT 100 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT COME OFF THE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS INTERVIEWED AT HIS HOME BY THE SHERIFF, AND SAID; '...UPON TAKING OFF, THE PLANE WOULD JUST NOT GET UP...HE FLEW THE PLANE EARLIER WITHOUT A PROBLEM...WHEN HE DUMPED THE LOAD OF CHEMICALS ON THE RUNWAY, THE PLANE WENT UP, HIT THE TOP OF A POWER POLE WITH A WING AND THEN WENT DOWN INTO SMALL PINES....' THE FAA INSPECTOR'S REPORTED STATED THAT PILOT SAID 'HE HAD PROBLEMS WITH AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE ON CLIMBOUT.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES. SEVERAL WITNESSES RAN TO THE CRASH TO AID THE PILOT, AND THEY STATED THAT WHEN THEY REACH THE PILOT THEY SAW THAT HE 'STAGGERED AND SMELLED OF ALCOHOL.' THE WITNESSES SAID THEY DID NOT SEE HIM CONSUME ANYTHING BEF ORE HE GOT INTO A CAR 'BRONCO' AND LEAVE THE SCENE. A TEST TAKEN IN THE HOSPITAL ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED AN ETHANOL LEVEL OF 143 MG/DL IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD. (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #MIA97LA208
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.