# Accident 20010606015079A: Piper PA22150, Pomaria, SC, June 6, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: June 6, 2001, 11:30 local time - Place: Pomaria, SC - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.2677° N, 81.4218° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2677&lon=-81.4218&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6955D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6955D) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-22-150 (registry code 7102210, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-150) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA22150 - Reported engine: LYC O320* - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 3,200 total, 118 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL01LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA066) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010606015079A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH BERM ON TAKE OFF ROLL FROM A COW PASTURE. AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN COW PASTURE AFTER PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SWITCH AN D OBTAIN FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK. AFTER LANDING PILOT REFUELED RIGHT TANK AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF STRIKING AN EARTHEN BERM AND SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) ON JUNE 6, 2001, AT 1130 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-22-150, N6955D, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A FIELD NEAR POMARIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE OPEN FIELD IN POMARIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AT 1129. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ONE HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT HE ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT TANK. THE PILOT COULD NOT GET THE FUEL SELECTOR INTO THE PROPER POSITION FOR THE LEFT TANK SO HE SWITCHED IT BACK TO THE RIGHT. HE THEN FOUND A GRASS FIELD AND LANDED THE AIRPLANE. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT FOUND A MAN WHO LIVED NEAR BY, TO GET HIM SOME AUTO FUEL. THE AIRPLANE HAD AN AUTO FUEL SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE (STC). AFTER REFUELING THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT DID A PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION, WALKED AROUND THE FIELD AND ATTEMPTED TO TAKE-OFF. ON TAKE-OFF ROLL THE AIRPLANE HIT A DITCH. WHEN THE AIRPLANE HIT THE DITCH, THE NOSE WHEEL BROKE OFF AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED FORWARD TO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES. ACCORDING TO TAKEOFF DATA FOR THE PA-22-150, THE GROUND RUN TO CLEAR A 50-FOOT OBSTACLE IS 685 FEET. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ON GROUND COLLISION OCCURRED AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED 1000 FEET OF GROUND RUN. (.19) ON JUNE 6, 2001, AT 1130 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-22, N6955D, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A FIELD NEAR POMARIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED AND THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED T HE OPEN FIELD IN POMARIA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AT 1129. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT EARLIER THE SAME DAY HE EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO THE OPEN FIELD AFTER EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AFTER REFUELING THE AIRPLANE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB FROM THE FIELD, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN. ## 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 ATL01LA066](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA066), Jun 6, 2001: Piper PA-22-150 (N6955D), Pomaria, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper operation of the flight controls while attempting a takeoff from an unimproved surface. A factor was rough and uneven terrain. ## Other reports on N6955D (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19961210040959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961210040959A), Dec 10, 1996: Piper PA22150 (N6955D), Pensacola, FL, Minor damage. Narrative: after landing pns rwy 26, pilot stated after reducing power he felt aircraft encountered gusty cross-wind and he attempted to correct. Aircraft… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.