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19970818044689A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-180 · Gila, NM · August 18, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 18, 1997 · 22:05 local
Place
Gila, NM
Phase of flight
Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9455J
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW97LA315
Reported as
Piper PA28180
Reported engine
Lycoming O320E2A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
165 total51 in this make and model36 in the last 90 days
N9455JRegistration cancelled Dec 10, 1997 · Piper PA-28-180S/N 283568Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Tried night takeoff unlitstrip got into soft spot. Swerved into yucca and rocks. Ruptured fuel tank. Burned. (-23) pilot attempted to depart from an unlit dirt strip at night near Gila/riverside, new Mexico. Pilot lost directional control on takeoff (not airborne), struck vegetation which pushed leading edge of left wing back into left fuel cell. Left fuel cell ruptured. Aircraft sustained severe fire damage on left wing, gear, & cockpit area. Pilot arrested by new Mexico state police & charged with driving while under influence & open container. Blood alcohol content: 2 tests - .203 & .204.

As the FAA filed it

TRIED NIGHT TAKEOFF UNLITSTRIP GOT INTO SOFT SPOT. SWERVED INTO YUCCA AND ROCKS. RUPTURED FUEL TANK. BURNED. (-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DEPART FROM AN UNLIT DIRT STRIP AT NIGHT NEAR GILA/RIVERSIDE, NEW MEXICO. PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TAKEOFF (NOT AIRBORNE), STRUCK VEGETATION WHICH PUSHED LEADING EDGE OF LEFT WING BACK INTO LEFT FUEL CELL. LEFT FUEL CELL RUPTURED. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE ON LEFT WING, GEAR, & COCKPIT AREA. PILOT ARRESTED BY NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE & CHARGED WITH DRIVING WHILE UNDER INFLUENCE & OPEN CONTAINER. BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT: 2 TESTS - .203 & .204.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA315Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGila, NMthe pilot's impairment of judgment and performance due to alcohol, and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane, which resulted in a ground swerve, and collision with vegetation (cactus) and a fence. Related factors were: the soft runway…Aug 19, 1997 · Substantial damage