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19971004030009A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper J3L · Trenton, GA · October 4, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
October 4, 1997 · 12:53 local
Place
Trenton, GA
Airport
Praters Landing
Phase of flight
To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N30236
NTSB investigation
NTSBMIA98LA004
Reported as
Piper J3L
Reported engine
Continental A658
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
686 total20 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days
N30236Registered now · Piper J3C-65S/N 4715 · Built 1940Airframe modelPiper J3C-65Engine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

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.

Unable full power but continued takeoff. Struck power lines. Fell into brush. (.4)the pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, he forced the aircraft off the runway, because he mistook a midspan crest on the runway as the departure end, and because other similar aircraft became airborne at that particular point. The premature rotation caused the aircraft to become airborne in ground-effect, but it would not climb. It settled into trees about 100 yards beyond the airport boundary. The pilot further stated that he never saw over 2050 RPM throughout the takeoff run. The tachometer was subsequently found to be reading higher than actual engine RPM; at an indicated 2050 RPM, actual RPM was approximately 1650. The type-certificate data sheet indicated the redline was at 2350 RPM and minimum static was 1950 RPM. The pilot stated that he installed the tachometer sometime between 'sun' n' fun' of 1996 (where he thought he bought the tachometer) and 11/25/96 (when the aircraft was annual-inspected). (-23) see narrative #MIA98LA004.

As the FAA filed it

UNABLE FULL POWER BUT CONTINUED TAKEOFF. STRUCK POWER LINES. FELL INTO BRUSH. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE FORCED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE RUNWAY, BECAUSE HE MISTOOK A MIDSPAN CREST ON THE RUNWAY AS THE DEPARTURE END, AND BECAUSE OTHER SIMILAR AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AT THAT PARTICULAR POINT. THE PREMATURE ROTATION CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE IN GROUND-EFFECT, BUT IT WOULD NOT CLIMB. IT SETTLED INTO TREES ABOUT 100 YARDS BEYOND THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE NEVER SAW OVER 2050 RPM THROUGHOUT THE TAKEOFF RUN. THE TACHOMETER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE READING HIGHER THAN ACTUAL ENGINE RPM; AT AN INDICATED 2050 RPM, ACTUAL RPM WAS APPROXIMATELY 1650. THE TYPE-CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET INDICATED THE REDLINE WAS AT 2350 RPM AND MINIMUM STATIC WAS 1950 RPM. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE INSTALLED THE TACHOMETER SOMETIME BETWEEN 'SUN' N' FUN' OF 1996 (WHERE HE THOUGHT HE BOUGHT THE TACHOMETER) AND 11/25/96 (WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ANNUAL-INSPECTED). (-23) SEE NARRATIVE #MIA98LA004.

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 MIA98LA004Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTrenton, GAfailure of the pilot to abort the takeoff, when he observed an indication of less than full engine power on the tachometer from the beginning of the takeoff roll. Factors relating to the accident were: the inadequate preflight planning and preparation by the…Oct 4, 1997 · Substantial damage