# Accident 19991217041369A: Piper PA32RT300, Geneva, AL, December 17, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 17, 1999, 14:43 local time
- Place: Geneva, AL
- Airport: Geneva Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.0309° N, 85.8699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.0309&lon=-85.8699&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2215U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2215U-2001-06-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32RT-300 (registry code 7103215, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32RT300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1G5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 313 total, 313 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL00FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00FA016) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991217041369A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 ATL00FA016](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL00FA016), Dec 17, 1999: Piper PA-32RT-300 (N2215U), Geneva, AL, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff which resulted in a stall and the subsequent collision with trees.

## Other reports on N2215U (1)

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

- [Incident 19981105041189I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981105041189I), Nov 5, 1998: Piper PA32RT300 (N2215U), Starkville, MS, Minor damage. (-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.…

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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