20050306003719A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Suches, GA · March 6, 2005

Date: March 6, 2005 · 17:00 local
Place: Suches, GA
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7209J
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL05CA058
Reported as: Piper PA28140
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 172 total150 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N7209JRegistration cancelled May 6, 2013 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-24542 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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) The pilot stated that during what started out to be a normal take off roll the aircraft lifted off and abruptly settled back onto the runway. He stated that he had "good power and good speed" during the takeoff roll. Pilot also stated that the aircraft elevator control felt very heavy when he attempted to rotate on take off. A witness statement was consistent with the pilot's statement that the aircraft settled abruptly back onto the runway after it lifted off to about 5 feet above the ground. The witness also stated that the aircraft seemed to stay on the ground longer than similar aircraft while sighting the point on the runway at which other aircraft usually became airborne. During the on scene inspection of the aircraft flight controls, it was noted that the elevator trim was set for approximately 3/4 notch of nose down trim and the elevator controls otherwise operated as they should have. See attached picture of elevator trim control setting.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING WHAT STARTED OUT TO BE A NORMAL TAKE OFF ROLL THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF AND ABRUPTLY SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT HE HAD "GOOD POWER AND GOOD SPEED" DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. PILOT ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ELEVATOR CONTROL FELT VERY HEAVY WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ROTATE ON TAKE OFF. A WITNESS STATEMENT WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE PILOT'S STATEMENT THAT THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ABRUPTLY BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY AFTER IT LIFTED OFF TO ABOUT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WITNESS ALSO STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO STAY ON THE GROUND LONGER THAN SIMILAR AIRCRAFT WHILE SIGHTING THE POINT ON THE RUNWAY AT WHICH OTHER AIRCRAFT USUALLY BECAME AIRBORNE. DURING THE ON SCENE INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS SET FOR APPROXIMATELY 3/4 NOTCH OF NOSE DOWN TRIM AND THE ELEVATOR CONTROLS OTHERWISE OPERATED AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. SEE ATTACHED PICTURE OF ELEVATOR TRIM CONTROL SETTING.

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 ATL05CA058Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportSuches, GAThe pilot's premature liftoff and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush to the runway and subsequent collision with a fence during aborted takeoff.Mar 6, 2005 · Substantial damage