19991217041369A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32RT-300 · Geneva, AL · December 17, 1999

Date: December 17, 1999 · 14:43 local
Place: Geneva, AL
Airport: Geneva Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2215U
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL00FA016
Reported as: Piper PA32RT300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1G5
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 313 total313 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N2215URegistration cancelled Jun 7, 2001 · Piper PA-32RT-300S/N 32R-7985092 Airframe modelPiper PA-32RT-300

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) According to a pilot witness, the pilot had difficulty starting the aircraft engine. The witness stated that the engine coughed and sputtered and black smoke was coming from the exhaust. Once the engine started, it ran smoothly. The pilot taxied to runway 29, stopped short and did a run-up. Following the run-up the aircraft taxied onto the runway and began its takeoff roll. The witness stated that the aircraft was weaving to the left and right as it proceeded down the runway. He said the aircraft lifted off about 1,000 feet down the runway and then came back down, bouncing on the nose gear. The aircraft again started to climb and bank to the left. He said the aircraft again descended and then climbed again still banking to the left and disappeared behind some trees. Examination of the wreckage on-scene found no pre-existing damage to the airframe, or the engine.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) ACCORDING TO A PILOT WITNESS, THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY STARTING THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE ENGINE COUGHED AND SPUTTERED AND BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. ONCE THE ENGINE STARTED, IT RAN SMOOTHLY. THE PILOT TAXIED TO RUNWAY 29, STOPPED SHORT AND DID A RUN-UP. FOLLOWING THE RUN-UP THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND BEGAN ITS TAKEOFF ROLL. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS WEAVING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AS IT PROCEEDED DOWN THE RUNWAY. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF ABOUT 1,000 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THEN CAME BACK DOWN, BOUNCING ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN STARTED TO CLIMB AND BANK TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT AGAIN DESCENDED AND THEN CLIMBED AGAIN STILL BANKING TO THE LEFT AND DISAPPEARED BEHIND SOME TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE ON-SCENE FOUND NO PRE-EXISTING DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME, OR THE ENGINE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ATL00FA016Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportGeneva, ALThe pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff which resulted in a stall and the subsequent collision with trees.Dec 17, 1999 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2215U · 1

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

Incident 19981105041189ILevel Off Touchdown · Starkville, MS(-5)During traffic pattern entry pilot stated he was distracted by a radio call and the search for other traffic and failed to extend the landing gear. Aircraft was landed gear up.Nov 5, 1998 · Minor damage