# Accident 19980506008499A: Piper PA22150, Woodstock, GA, May 6, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 6, 1998, 18:00 local time
- Place: Woodstock, GA
- Airport: Air Acres Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0990° N, 84.5098° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0990&lon=-84.5098&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3900P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3900P-2002-04-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA22150
- Reported engine: LYC O320A1A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 20,254 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA150) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980506008499A

## Narrative

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

STRUCK TREES ON RISING TERRAIN ON TAKEOFF. IN VALLEY SHOWED NO WIND BUT ABOVE TREES HAD TAILWIND. (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), AFTER A LOCAL FLIGHT OF ABOUT 1 HOUR, THE TWO PILOTS DECIDED TO 'CHECK-OUT' A GRASS STRIP THAT THEY HAD FLOWN OVER.  THE GRASS RUNWAY WAS ORIENTED NORTH/SOUTH AND THEY LANDED ON RUNWAY 18.  ON APPROACH, THEY NOTED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS 'UPHILL.'  AFTER LANDING, THEY NOTED THAT THE WIND SHOCKS INDICATED THAT THE GROUND WINDS WERE 'CALM.'  THEY ELECTED TO DEPART ON RUNWAY 36, AND THE PIC INITIATED A 'SHORT' FIELD TAKEOFF.  THEY CROSSED A ROAD AT THE NORTH END OF THE FIELD, AND THE PIC STATED, '...BUT [THE AIRPLANE] DID NOT CLEAR THE TREES.'  HE SAID, '...WE CLIPPED THE TOP OF THE FIRST TREE AND THE PROP WENT THROUGH THE SECOND...WE CAUGHT A LARGER TREE ON THE INBOARD RIGHT WING.'  THE REPORTED WINDS ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF THE CRASH SITE WERE FROM 150 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS.   (-23)THE WINDS REPORTED AT A NEAR BY AIRPORT INDICTED 150 AT 9 KTS.  AIR ACRES WIND SOCK INDICATES NO WIND, BECAUSE THE AIRPORT 18 SURROUNDED BY TREES.  THE PILOT CHOOSE RUNWAY 36 FOR TAKEOFF ON A SHORT GRASS WITH RISING TERR                                                    AIN IN HIS FLIGHT PAT. THE AIRCRAFT LACKED APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET CLEARING THE TREES ON THE RISING TERRAIN.

## 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 MIA98LA150](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA150), May 6, 1998: Piper PA-22-150 (N3900P), Woodstock, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to establish a positive climb to outclimb obstacle (tree) and his decision to execute a takeoff with a tailwind.

## Other reports on N3900P (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19860329011059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860329011059A), Mar 29, 1986: Piper PA22150 (N3900P), Plymouth, MI, Substantial damage. Fuel line off at carburetor. Landed in field, nosed over. Failed to check for fuel leak on preflight. Fuel missing.

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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