20080518834029A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Wrightsville, GA · May 18, 2008

Date: May 18, 2008 · 14:00 local
Place: Wrightsville, GA
Airport: The Farm
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4553J
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI08LA137
Reported as: Piper PA28R180
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,550 total1,300 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days

N4553JRegistration cancelled Aug 13, 2013 · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-30414 · Built 1968 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180 Engine modelLycoming I0360 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 aircraft was taking off using a short field. At about 20-30' AGL a gust of wind caught the nose of the aircraft forcing the nose of the a/c into a very high nose up attitude. Fearing a stall the PIC pushed the nose over just as another gust of wind lifted the left wing, pushing the nose right and forcing the a/c into bushes on the left side of the runway. The impact with the bushes caused the a/c to spin about 180 degrees, where the aircraft came to rest.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF USING A SHORT FIELD. AT ABOUT 20-30' AGL A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT FORCING THE NOSE OF THE A/C INTO A VERY HIGH NOSE UP ATTITUDE. FEARING A STALL THE PIC PUSHED THE NOSE OVER JUST AS ANOTHER GUST OF WIND LIFTED THE LEFT WING, PUSHING THE NOSE RIGHT AND FORCING THE A/C INTO BUSHES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE IMPACT WITH THE BUSHES CAUSED THE A/C TO SPIN ABOUT 180 DEGREES, WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.

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 CHI08LA137Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportWrightsville, GAThe pilot's failure to maintain control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident were the gusty winds.May 18, 2008 · Substantial damage