# Accident 20120429007369A: Piper PA-18, Pilot Mountain, NC, April 29, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 29, 2012, 17:30 local time
- Place: Pilot Mountain, NC
- Airport: Private
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.4078° N, 80.5219° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4078&lon=-80.5219&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5769D, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5769D) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18 (registry code 7101802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental C90 series (registry code 17009, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-c90-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR C90 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 32,000 total, 300 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA12LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA309) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120429007369A

## Narrative

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

ON 4/29/12 AT 1745  AIRCRAFT N5769D, A PA-18 BEING PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES ON CLIMB OUT FROM THE PILOT OWNED PRIVATE GRASS STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS FROM THE EDGE OF THE GRASS STRIP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED, AND THE PILOT  AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT NOTE ANY DICREPANCIES INITIALLY.  HOWEVER, DURING TAKE OFF, HE FELT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DEVELOPING FULL POWER BUT HAD PROCEDED DOWN THE RUNWAY FAR ENOUGH THAT HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE.  HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB AND HIT THE POWER LINE JUST PAST THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE LEFT WING IMPACTED WITH THE POWER LINES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING IN TO A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM THE POWER LINES. FUEL SAMPLES TAKEN FROM THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND RIGHT WING APPEARED CLEAR AND FREE OF ANY WATER CONTAMINATION. THE ENGINE DID NOT EXHIBIT ANY EXTERNAL DISCREPANCIES AND ROTATED FREELY, GROUND SCARING EVIDENCE AND DAMAGE SUSTAINED TO THE PROPELLER INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER AT THE TIME OF IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN.

## 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 ERA12LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12LA309), Apr 29, 2012: Piper PA-18 (N5769D), Pilot Mountain, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s reduced takeoff performance.

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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