# Accident 19980907035489A: Piper PA28140, Truckee, CA, September 7, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 7, 1998, 10:26 local time
- Place: Truckee, CA
- Airport: Truckee-Tahoe Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3303° N, 120.2401° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3303&lon=-120.2401&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8772N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8772N-2013-03-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 226 total, 211 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA283) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980907035489A

## Narrative

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

(.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^

## 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 LAX98LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA283), Sep 7, 1998: Piper PA-28-140 (N8772N), Truckee, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in temperature conditions conducive to carburetor icing and his failure to lean the engine in a high density altitude environment, which combined, led to a…

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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