20030613017559A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Boeing A75N1 · Sutton, WV · June 13, 2003

Date: June 13, 2003 · 19:16 local
Place: Sutton, WV
Airport: Braxton County Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N55175
NTSB investigation: NTSBIAD03CA057
Reported as: Boeing A75N1
Reported engine: Continental W670*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,450 total12 in this make and model145 in the last 90 days

N55175Registered now · Boeing A75N1(PT17)S/N 75-1747 · Built 1942 Airframe modelBoeing A75N1(PT17)Engine modelContinental W670 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) The pilot stated that he took off runway (1) one, which had an uphill slope, and felt that it took a little longer than normal to get airborne, even though the engine sounded as if it were producing full power. After lift-off, he explained that the aircraft failed to climb as he felt it should and that he had to lower the nose in order to maintain the desired airspeed. Once he lowered the nose, the aircraft was not able to clear the tree line which was about a quarter of a mile from the end of the runway boundary. The pilot also stated that the aircraft impacted the trees while in flight and that it did not stall. He said he made the decision to hit the trees, rather than losing control by raising the nose of the aircraft and stalling.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF RUNWAY (1) ONE, WHICH HAD AN UPHILL SLOPE, AND FELT THAT IT TOOK A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL TO GET AIRBORNE, EVEN THOUGH THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE PRODUCING FULL POWER. AFTER LIFT-OFF, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO CLIMB AS HE FELT IT SHOULD AND THAT HE HAD TO LOWER THE NOSE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED AIRSPEED. ONCE HE LOWERED THE NOSE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO CLEAR THE TREE LINE WHICH WAS ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY BOUNDARY. THE PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TREES WHILE IN FLIGHT AND THAT IT DID NOT STALL. HE SAID HE MADE THE DECISION TO HIT THE TREES, RATHER THAN LOSING CONTROL BY RAISING THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND STALLING.

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 IAD03CA057Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSutton, WVThe pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. Factors included the high density altitude conditions, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane's high density altitude performance characteristics.Jun 13, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N55175 · 1

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

Incident 19881010054409IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Ashland, VALost directional control on rollout when hit by wind gust. Weathervaned, blowing tire and striking wing tip.Oct 10, 1988 · Minor damage