# Accident 19971107039189A: Piper PA60700P, Portland, OR, November 7, 1997 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 7, 1997, 12:45 local time - Place: Portland, OR - Airport: Portland International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 45.5091° N, 122.6897° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5091&lon=-122.6897&mi=10 - Aircraft: N700HS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N700HS-2000-09-21) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-60-700P (registry code 7106023, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-60-700p) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA60700P - Reported engine: LYC TIO540U2A - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,615 total, 67 in this make and model, 65 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA012) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971107039189A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TAKEOFF FAILED ACTUATE NOSEWHEEL STEERING. FEATHERED ENGINE IN PANIC. HIT SIGNS. BURNED. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 7, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 1245 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSTAR PA-60-700P, N700HS, DEPARTED THE SOUTH SIDE OF RUNWAY 10L DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, PORTLAND, OREGON. AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK RUNWAY LIGHTS AND AIRPORT SIGNAGE AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE PRIVATE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, WHO OWNED THE AIRCRAFT, AND ONE PASSENGER ESCAPED THE AIRCRAFT UNINJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN THE CRASH AND ENSUING FIRE. THE 14 CFR 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN, WITH A DESTINATION OF PRINEVILLE, OREGON. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED THAT THE PILOT STATED TO HIM THAT HE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO NOSEWHEEL STEERING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ACTUATE THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING (THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED VIA A GLARE SHIELD OR CONSOLE-MOUNTED SPLIT ROCKER SWI TCH, SPRING-LOADED TO CENTER, WHICH REQUIRES BOTH HALVES OF THE SWITCH TO BE DEPRESSED LEFT OR RIGHT TO COMMAND NOSEWHEEL STEERING MOVEMENT), BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BEFORE DEPARTING THE RUNWAY SURFACE, AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 70 KNOTS. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED TO THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC) THAT HE OBSERVED THE RIGHT PROPELLER BLADES ON THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE IN A FEATHERED POSITION. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE PILOT REPORTED TO HIM THAT HE DID NOT FEATHER THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO IS A CERTIFICATED AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT (A&P) MECHANIC, REPORTED THAT HE CONDUCTED A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE ON NOVEMBER 14, 1997, AND HIS EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY INITIAL EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE FAA PRELIMINARY ACCIDENT REPORT INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT MIDFIELD. ACCORDING TO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY, PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RUNWAY 10L IS AN 8,000 BY 150 FOOT GROOVED ASPHALT RUNWAY. A 1256 PORTLAND WEATHER OBSERVATION REPORTED THE WINDS FROM 180 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS. ACCORDING TO THE PA-60-700P PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH), NORMAL TAKEOFFS IN THE AIRCRAFT ARE MADE WITH 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS, WITH A TAKEOFF SPEED OF 93 KNOTS INDICATED AIRSPEED (KIAS). THE ONE ENGINE INOPERATIVE AIR MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED IS LISTED AS 85 KIAS. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING 'THE MID STAGE OF THE TAKEOFF ROLL...I EXPERIENCED ONE OR TWO ASYM[M]ETRICAL SURGES THAT CAUSED THE PLANE TO YAW TO THE RIGHT.' THE PILOT STATED HE CORRECTED THESE WITH NOSEWHEEL STEERING (THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES NOT TO USE NOSEWHEEL STEERING DURING TAKEOFF). THE PILOT STATED, 'AS I APPROACHED ROTATION SPEED, THERE WAS A STRONG YAW TO THE RIGHT....I BELIEVED...THE NOSEWHEEL [HAD DEFLECTED]...FULL RIGHT....I THEN PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE TO PULL THE NOSEWHEEL OFF....I BECAME AIRBORNE...I HEARD THE STALL WARNING. THE PLANE THEN VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT, GOING OFF THE RUNWAY....' POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT ENGINE AND PROPELLER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT ENGINE OR PROPELLER MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON THE GROUND IS AVAILABLE IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT VIA DIFFERENTIAL BRAKING, DIFFERENTIAL POWER, AND RUDDER, IF NOSEWHEEL STEERING IS NOT AVAILABLE. WHILE THE PI LOT REPORTED HE HAD RECENTLY FLOWN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT WITH ANOTHER PILOT(NOT AN INSTRUCTOR) TO 'REVIEW AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND CHECK MY PILOT COMPETENCIES', HIS LAST DOCUMENTED FLIGHT REVIEW WAS 6 YEARS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 SEA98LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA012), Nov 7, 1997: Aerostar PA-60-700P (N700HS), Portland, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an improper remedial action for an unanticipated yaw excursion during takeoff roll, resulting in the aircraft becoming airborne with inadequate airspeed and consequent loss… ## Other reports on N700HS (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19890119023499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890119023499I), Jan 19, 1989: Piper PA60700P (N700HS), Du Bois, PA. Left engine failed. Forced landing. Diaphragm in fuel pump failed. Leak caused small fire which shorted wires. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.