20110411011989A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Richmond, VA · April 11, 2011

Date: April 11, 2011 · 21:27 local
Place: Richmond, VA
Airport: Richmond International Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: BSYA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N3547C
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA11LA240
Reported as: Piper PA-31-350
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,954 total28 in this make and model77 in the last 90 days

N3547CRegistration cancelled Sep 3, 2015 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-8052018 · Built 1979 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

Upon being cleared for take-off, the aircraft accelerated and rotated to a high angle of attack, almost vertical. The aircraft stalled, around 300 feet AGL, and fell back to the ground and landed on the parallel taxiway. The aircraft came to rest about 3500 feet from the arrival end of the runway.

As the FAA filed it

UPON BEING CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED AND ROTATED TO A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, ALMOST VERTICAL. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, AROUND 300 FEET AGL, AND FELL BACK TO THE GROUND AND LANDED ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ABOUT 3500 FEET FROM THE ARRIVAL END OF THE RUNWAY.

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 ERA11LA240Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRichmond, VAThe pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with the ground.Apr 12, 2011 · Substantial damage