What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 08/19/2006 while departing from Houston-Southwest Airport, (axh) on runway 09, a Piper PA-28-161 experienced a loss of power on take-off. The aircraft with 4 people on board crashed approximately 1/2 mile from the end of runway 09. Aircraft impacted right wing tip low into a tree, causing the aircraft to spin 180 degrees and slide tail first into a second tree. Nose and left main landing gear were torn from the aircraft. Right wing was substantially damaged on leading edge by tip, and was bent upward to a 30 degree angle. Left hand horizontal, rudder and fuselage were heavily damaged with impact into a second tree. The certificated pilot onboard during his interview with the investigators, stated that he was in the right seat in the aircraft, and that his girlfriend was in the left hand seat. The pilot said that his girlfriend was at the controls during the take-off, and that when the engine started to run rough he took over the controls. Pilot stated that before take-off, they did a run up/mag check, but did not use a check list. Nor did he compute a weight and balance for the intended flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 08/19/2006 WHILE DEPARTING FROM HOUSTON-SOUTHWEST AIRPORT, (AXH) ON RUNWAY 09, A PIPER PA-28-161 EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER ON TAKE-OFF. THE AIRCRAFT WITH 4 PEOPLE ON BOARD CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 09. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED RIGHT WING TIP LOW INTO A TREE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SPIN 180 DEGREES AND SLIDE TAIL FIRST INTO A SECOND TREE. NOSE AND LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE TORN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. RIGHT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED ON LEADING EDGE BY TIP, AND WAS BENT UPWARD TO A 30 DEGREE ANGLE. LEFT HAND HORIZONTAL, RUDDER AND FUSELAGE WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED WITH IMPACT INTO A SECOND TREE. THE CERTIFICATED PILOT ONBOARD DURING HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE INVESTIGATORS, STATED THAT HE WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT IN THE AIRCRAFT, AND THAT HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS IN THE LEFT HAND SEAT. THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS GIRLFRIEND WAS AT THE CONTROLS DURING THE TAKE-OFF, AND THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH HE TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS. PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE TAKE-OFF, THEY DID A RUN UP/MAG CHECK, BUT DID NOT USE A CHECK LIST. NOR DID HE COMPUTE A WEIGHT AND BALANCE FOR THE INTENDED FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.