What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On September 7, 1998, at 1026 hours pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N8772N, collided with the ground in a field 1 1/2 miles west of the Truckee, California, airport during the takeoff initial climb. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot/owner and passenger, the sole occupants, suffered minor injuries. The personal flight was originating at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. According to the Nevada counry sheriff's department, the pilot reported that he took off on runway 28 and noticed that he was not gaining speed or altitude. The pilot stated that he pushed the nose of the aircraft forward and initiatied a left turn to return to the airport. The aircraft began to stall. The pilot reported that he dove the plane into the ground to avoid hitting power lines and other nearby structures. He estimated that his speed on impact was about 35 mph. The pilot reported that was "just too heavy for takeoff." Witnesses reported seeing the wings of the aircraft wobble and heard the engine sputter. They stated that they saw the plane dive down to tree top level, then dive into the ground and bounce. The sheriff's department reported the density altitude at the time of the accident as 7,900 feet.(.4) the pilot took off with twice the amount of fuel needed to fly to his next fuel stop. After takeoff the aircraft was not able to gain speed or altitude. He had not leaned the mixture and the aircraft performance continued to decrease so the pilot decided to turn back toward the airport. The aircraft began to stall and he nosed the aircraft into the ground to avoid hitting power lines and other nearby structures. The temperature at the time of the accident was reported as 63 degrees, dew point 61 degrees with a density altitude of 7,400 feet. The pilot reported that he had not attempted to use carburetor heat. He stated there was no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident. (-23) privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON SEPTEMBER 7, 1998, AT 1026 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-140, N8772N, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A FIELD 1 1/2 MILES WEST OF THE TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER AND PASSENGER, THE SOLE OCCUPANTS, SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. ACCORDING TO THE NEVADA COUNRY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 28 AND NOTICED THAT HE WAS NOT GAINING SPEED OR ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PUSHED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD AND INITIATIED A LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO STALL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE DOVE THE PLANE INTO THE GROUND TO AVOID HITTING POWER LINES AND OTHER NEARBY STRUCTURES. HE ESTIMATED THAT HIS SPEED ON IMPACT WAS ABOUT 35 MPH. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WAS "JUST TOO HEAVY FOR TAKEOFF." WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE WINGS OF THE AIRCRAFT WOBBLE AND HEARD THE ENGINE SPUTTER. THEY STATED THAT THEY SAW THE PLANE DIVE DOWN TO TREE TOP LEVEL, THEN DIVE INTO THE GROUND AND BOUNCE. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REPORTED THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AS 7,900 FEET.(.4) THE PILOT TOOK OFF WITH TWICE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL NEEDED TO FLY TO HIS NEXT FUEL STOP. AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO GAIN SPEED OR ALTITUDE. HE HAD NOT LEANED THE MIXTURE AND THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE CONTINUED TO DECREASE SO THE PILOT DECIDED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO STALL AND HE NOSED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE GROUND TO AVOID HITTING POWER LINES AND OTHER NEARBY STRUCTURES. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS 63 DEGREES, DEW POINT 61 DEGREES WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF 7,400 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT ATTEMPTED TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT. HE STATED THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.