# Accident 19971004030009A: Piper J3L, Trenton, GA, October 4, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 4, 1997, 12:53 local time
- Place: Trenton, GA
- Airport: Praters Landing
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.8698° N, 85.5000° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8698&lon=-85.5000&mi=10
- Aircraft: N30236, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N30236) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C75 series (registry code 17005, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c75-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER J3L
- Reported engine: CONT A658
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 686 total, 20 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA004) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971004030009A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 MIA98LA004](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA004), Oct 4, 1997: Piper J3C-65 (N30236), Trenton, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure 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…

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.

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