# Accident 20120428008069A: Piper PA-28-161, Lake Wales, FL, April 28, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 28, 2012, 13:30 local time
- Place: Lake Wales, FL
- Airport: Lake Wales Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Location: 27.8939° N, 81.6203° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8939&lon=-81.6203&mi=10
- Aircraft: N746RA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N746RA-2016-06-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-161
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model, 47 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA314) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120428008069A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AN AIRCRAFT ASSIGNED TO AIRLINES CAREER ACADEMY IN KISSIMMEE WAS PERFORMING PATTERN SOLO TRAINING AT THE LAKE WALES AIRPORT. DURING THIS TIME THE INSTRUCTOR THEN DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AND GAVE THE STUDENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR HIS SOLO. THE STUDENT PROCEEDED TO RUNWAY 17-35 AND COMPLETED THE PATTERN WORK AS DIRECTED. IT IS UNSURE WHETHER UNFAMILIAR OR DISORIENTED, HE TAXIED BACK TO THE ACTIVE AS REQUIRED BUT, MOVEMENT AND TAKE OFF DIRECTIONS WERE DISREGARDED AND THE STUDENT TAXIED TO RUNWAY 6 IN PREPARATION OF A SHORT FIELD TAKE OFF AT INTERSECTION D. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED HE MADE EVERY ATTEMPT TO STOP THE TAKE OFF ROLL BUT, WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE STUDENT HAD APPROXIMATELY 2000 FT AND NEEDED ONLY 850 FOR SAFE ROTATION. HE WAS OBSERVED AND REMAINED IN GROUND EFFECT FOR 5-6 SECONDS & 3-4 FEET OFF THE GROUND. DURING THIS TIME THE STUDENT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER AND ABORTED THE TAKE OFF. HOWEVER LATER IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT ALLEGED IT TO BE HIS ELEVATOR. IT APPEARS THE STUDENT HAD SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO STOP BUT, DEPLETED USABLE & THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING SOME SMALL SHRUBS AND TREES CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING L/E CAP, ONE SPAR RIB AND DAMAGE TO THE WING FUEL TANK. DURING THE INVESTIGATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS WERE AVAILABLE TO RUN THE ENGINE AND ANY POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. A TEMPORARY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS ISSUED A FERRY PERMIT TO RETURN TO BASE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA12LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA314), Apr 28, 2012: Piper PA-28-161 (N746RA), Lake Wales, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s decision to depart from an intersection with insufficient runway remaining for takeoff, which resulted in a rejected takeoff and subsequent runway excursion.

## Other reports on N746RA (2)

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

- [Incident 20121113025309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121113025309I), Nov 13, 2012: Piper PA-28-161 (N746RA), Everglades City, FL, Minor damage. Two private pilots's were on board this aircraft at the time of the event. The PIC was seated left seat. The pilot in the right seat is considered a passenger…
- [Incident 20110127000449I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110127000449I), Jan 27, 2011: Piper PA-28-161 (N746RA), Lake Wales, FL, Minor damage. On January 27, 2011, [privacy data omitted], a student pilot, certificate number [privacy data omitted], was conducting solo touch and goes on runway 6, in a…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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