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20120526010359A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-22-150 · Greenfield, IN · May 26, 2012

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 26, 2012 · 07:03 local
Place
Greenfield, IN
Airport
Pope Field
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9815D
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN12LA332
Reported as
Piper PA-22-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
849 total198 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N9815DRegistration cancelled Jan 11, 2021 · Piper PA-22-150S/N 22-6702 · Built 1959Airframe modelPiper PA-22-150Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

The aircraft departed runway 18 (grass runway) for a VFR cross-country flight to columbus, Indiana. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, the tachometer indicated 2400-2500 RPM and the engine sounded normal. When the aircraft lifted off, the airspeed indicated 60 mph. The aircraft normally accelerates to 80 mph once airborne. He stated that the aircraft did not accelerate to 80 mph and the aircraft was not climbing well. A witness on the ground and the passengers all stated that the aircraft barely cleared powerlines on the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that when he noticed that the aircraft was not climbing and accelerating he lowered the nose in order to prevent stalling the aircraft. As a result, he decided to fly it into the trees instead of inducing a stall. The witness on the ground confirmed this when he stated that he noticed that the aircraft was not climbing enough to clear the trees. The aircraft impacted a tree line approximately 1200 feet south of the field. It was found resting on its right side facing east.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 18 (GRASS RUNWAY) FOR A VFR CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO COLUMBUS, INDIANA. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE TACHOMETER INDICATED 2400-2500 RPM AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF, THE AIRSPEED INDICATED 60 MPH. THE AIRCRAFT NORMALLY ACCELERATES TO 80 MPH ONCE AIRBORNE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACCELERATE TO 80 MPH AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CLIMBING WELL. A WITNESS ON THE GROUND AND THE PASSENGERS ALL STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT BARELY CLEARED POWERLINES ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CLIMBING AND ACCELERATING HE LOWERED THE NOSE IN ORDER TO PREVENT STALLING THE AIRCRAFT. AS A RESULT, HE DECIDED TO FLY IT INTO THE TREES INSTEAD OF INDUCING A STALL. THE WITNESS ON THE GROUND CONFIRMED THIS WHEN HE STATED THAT HE NOTICED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT CLIMBING ENOUGH TO CLEAR THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A TREE LINE APPROXIMATELY 1200 FEET SOUTH OF THE FIELD. IT WAS FOUND RESTING ON ITS RIGHT SIDE FACING EAST.

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 CEN12LA332Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGreenfield, INA partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during takeoff.May 26, 2012 · Substantial damage