20010720026529A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-30 · Bowman, ND · July 20, 2001

Date: July 20, 2001 · 23:00 local
Place: Bowman, ND
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N7382Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI01LA221
Reported as: Piper PA30

N7382YRegistration cancelled Apr 2, 2004 · Piper PA-30S/N 30-436 · Built 1945 Airframe modelPiper PA-30 Engine modelLycoming IO-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) On July 20, 2001, at 2300 MDT, a Piper PA-30, N7382Y, operated by weather modification, inc, farg, ND and flown by thomas dejong, sustained substantial damage after the airplane struck a tree and impacted the terrain moments after takeoff from Bowman, ND. The aircraft was being operated on a cloud-seeding mission. Neither the pilot or co-pilot reported injuries. VFR weather was being reported with thunderstorms in the area. The airplane came to rest in a field in an upright position. The nose of the aircraft was crushed. Both wings were bent aft at the roots. Flight control continuity was confirmed and the engines, power controls and other systems showed no anomalies. The pilot and co-pilot reported encountering a microburst shortly after takeoff which exceeded the performance capabilities of the aircraft. The investigation is ongoing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JULY 20, 2001, AT 2300 MDT, A PIPER PA-30, N7382Y, OPERATED BY WEATHER MODIFICATION, INC, FARG, ND AND FLOWN BY THOMAS DEJONG, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AFTER THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN MOMENTS AFTER TAKEOFF FROM BOWMAN, ND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A CLOUD-SEEDING MISSION. NEITHER THE PILOT OR CO-PILOT REPORTED INJURIES. VFR WEATHER WAS BEING REPORTED WITH THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A FIELD IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS CRUSHED. BOTH WINGS WERE BENT AFT AT THE ROOTS. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AND THE ENGINES, POWER CONTROLS AND OTHER SYSTEMS SHOWED NO ANOMALIES. THE PILOT AND CO-PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING A MICROBURST SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHICH EXCEEDED THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

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 CHI01LA221Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBowman, NDAltitude/clearance not obtained by the pilot during the initial climb. Factors relating to the accident were attaining the proper climb rate not being possible, the microburst, the dark night, and the tree.Jul 21, 2001 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7382Y · 1

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

Incident 19870306014809ITo Aborted (Fixed Wing) · Thief River Fal, MNPilot unable to correct drift after liftoff. Aborted and slid into a snowbank.Mar 6, 1987 · Minor damage