What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 28, 2013, at approximately 14:52 UTC, a 1968 Piper PA-28-140 aircraft, N286P was destroyed following a collision with terrain on takeoff. The aircraft was being operated out of Timber House Airport (31IN) located near romney, Indiana. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91, as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The private pilot was injured with a broken wrist. The other three occupants suffered minor injuries. All were treated and released from a local hospital.
The accident site was in a heavily wooded area. The aircraft struck the top of a tree approximately 50 feet above ground level, sheared off the right wing, then struck another tree shearing off the left wing. The fuselage came to rest inverted, but intact.
The pilot stated ?we were able to get to the end of the runway and rechecked everything per the checklist, then took off with 2 sets of flaps in for a short field takeoff. We started rotating at 50 mph and then at 60 mph plane took off, still behind the halfway point on the runway. Speed increased to 74 mph for best angle, and we cleared the trees. We were flying and I am not sure at that point what happened. It appeared to be either downdraft or engine loss, but there was no indication of a problem at all prior to the moment of the accident. I believe that the plane lost lift and then we were going down through the trees.?
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 28, 2013, AT APPROXIMATELY 14:52 UTC, A 1968 PIPER PA-28-140 AIRCRAFT, N286P WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN ON TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED OUT OF TIMBER HOUSE AIRPORT (31IN) LOCATED NEAR ROMNEY, INDIANA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91, AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS INJURED WITH A BROKEN WRIST. THE OTHER THREE OCCUPANTS SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. ALL WERE TREATED AND RELEASED FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE TOP OF A TREE APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, SHEARED OFF THE RIGHT WING, THEN STRUCK ANOTHER TREE SHEARING OFF THE LEFT WING. THE FUSELAGE CAME TO REST INVERTED, BUT INTACT.
THE PILOT STATED ?WE WERE ABLE TO GET TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND RECHECKED EVERYTHING PER THE CHECKLIST, THEN TOOK OFF WITH 2 SETS OF FLAPS IN FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. WE STARTED ROTATING AT 50 MPH AND THEN AT 60 MPH PLANE TOOK OFF, STILL BEHIND THE HALFWAY POINT ON THE RUNWAY. SPEED INCREASED TO 74 MPH FOR BEST ANGLE, AND WE CLEARED THE TREES. WE WERE FLYING AND I AM NOT SURE AT THAT POINT WHAT HAPPENED. IT APPEARED TO BE EITHER DOWNDRAFT OR ENGINE LOSS, BUT THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM AT ALL PRIOR TO THE MOMENT OF THE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE PLANE LOST LIFT AND THEN WE WERE GOING DOWN THROUGH THE TREES.?
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.