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19970831024779A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA22 · Castlewood, SD · August 31, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 31, 1997 · 19:00 local
Place
Castlewood, SD
Phase of flight
Low Level Operations
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N2743P
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI97LA279
Reported as
Piper PA22
Reported engine
Lycoming O320A2B
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,100 total650 in this make and model
N2743PRegistration cancelled Mar 26, 1998 · Piper PA-22-150S/N 223050Airframe modelPiper PA-22-150

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.

Aircraft flying low over ground, pilot misjudged altitude and struck a tree. (.4)according to the pilot-in-command, the purpose of the flight was to fly over one of his passenger's farm. The pilot stated that the flight was, 'at a low level.' The pilot reported that as the airplane approached the accident location something fell off the dashboard and he leaned forward and down to identify what it was. The pilot stated that, 'as I leaned down, I apparently forced the yoke forward, lowering the attitude.' The pilot reported that when he looked up, 'it was too late, the trees were right in front of me. I gave back pressure on the elevator, but again too late and struck the trees.' The pilot stated that the aircraft still was able to climb and that there were tree branches hanging on the wing. The pilot reported that he noticed that the elevator had limited deflection and decided to make a precautionary landing in a nearby field. Post accident investigation showed substantial damage to the right wing spar, elevator, and vertical stabilizer. (-23) pilot flew low over trees, misjudged altitude/clearance from trees and struck trees. Aircraft landed and stopped in a creek.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT FLYING LOW OVER GROUND, PILOT MISJUDGED ALTITUDE AND STRUCK A TREE. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO FLY OVER ONE OF HIS PASSENGER'S FARM. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS, 'AT A LOW LEVEL.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE ACCIDENT LOCATION SOMETHING FELL OFF THE DASHBOARD AND HE LEANED FORWARD AND DOWN TO IDENTIFY WHAT IT WAS. THE PILOT STATED THAT, 'AS I LEANED DOWN, I APPARENTLY FORCED THE YOKE FORWARD, LOWERING THE ATTITUDE.' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LOOKED UP, 'IT WAS TOO LATE, THE TREES WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I GAVE BACK PRESSURE ON THE ELEVATOR, BUT AGAIN TOO LATE AND STRUCK THE TREES.' THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT STILL WAS ABLE TO CLIMB AND THAT THERE WERE TREE BRANCHES HANGING ON THE WING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE ELEVATOR HAD LIMITED DEFLECTION AND DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A NEARBY FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING SPAR, ELEVATOR, AND VERTICAL STABILIZER. (-23) PILOT FLEW LOW OVER TREES, MISJUDGED ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM TREES AND STRUCK TREES. AIRCRAFT LANDED AND STOPPED IN A CREEK.

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 CHI97LA279Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCastlewood, SDThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the trees.Sep 1, 1997 · Substantial damage