# Accident 19980524010639A: Piper PA28140, Fort Plain, NY, May 24, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 24, 1998, 17:20 local time
- Place: Fort Plain, NY
- Airport: Nellis Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.9300° N, 74.6196° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9300&lon=-74.6196&mi=10
- Aircraft: N15913, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N15913-2000-03-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320D2A
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980524010639A

## Narrative

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

SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF DEMO. LOST CONTROL ON NOSE HIGH CLIMB. SETTLED. RAN OFF RWY INTO TALL GRASS INTO TREES. (.4)THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF TO THE STUDENT PILOT.  DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE HIT A DIP ABOUT 100 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, AND, ACCORDING TO THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, IT 'CATAPULTED THEM INTO THE AIR IN AN EXTREMELY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE.'  THE INSTRUCTOR THOUGHT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS FROZEN ON THE CONTROLS WHEN THE AIRPLANE DID NOT RESPOND TO HIS CONTROL INPUTS, SO HE YELLED, 'I'VE GOT THE AIRPLANE.'  THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT THE INSTRUCTOR PULLED THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE UP, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO SHAKE AND THE INSTRUCTOR COMMENTED ON BEING 'BEHIND THE POWER CURVE.'  THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY THROUGH 24 INCH TALL GRASS AND STRUCK TREES BEFORE IT CAME TO REST.  THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED HE DID NOT RETARD THE THROTTLE DURING THE TAKEOFF AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE.                 (-23)THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS DEMONSTRATING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF, WITH A STUDENT AT THE CONTROLS.  AS THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, WITH THE NOSE OF THE                                            IN A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE, A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL BEGAN TO OCCUR. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REDUCED THE NOSE HIGH PICH ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT.  THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 471 FEET THROUGH 24 INCH TALL GRASS, AND THEN CRASHING INTO TREES AND BRUSH.  A FOUR FOOT SECTION FO THE LEFT WING WAS RIPPED OFF AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE STUDENT PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES.  THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

## 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 IAD98LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA062), May 24, 1998: Piper PA-28 (N15913), Minden, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush. A related factor was the rough/uneven runway.

## Other reports on N15913 (1)

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

- [Incident 19960428012209I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960428012209I), Apr 28, 1996: Piper PA28140 (N15913), Monticello, NY, Minor damage. Narrative: pilot stated on his takeoff roll, aircraft departed left side of runway because of crosswind. Aircraft struck VASI box causing minor damage to…

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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