20140511005319A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-180 · Indian Trail, NC · May 11, 2014

Date: May 11, 2014 · 15:00 local
Place: Indian Trail, NC
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N15230
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA14CA233
Reported as: Piper PA-28-180
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 4
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 82 total45 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N15230Registration cancelled May 30, 2018 · Piper PA-28-180S/N 28-7305039 · Built 1972 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-180 Engine modelLycoming O&VO-360 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.

Aircraft departed rwy 4 at approximately 1500 EST with the pilot and 3 pax. Pilot stated that he had calculated the weight of the pax prior to departure. Pilot was not familiar with the airport, only had one prior departure at 28A which was the day of the accident. According to witnesses, the aircraft appeared to stall as it approached the end of the runway. The aircraft impacted the 40?-50? Trees just beyond the runway and came to rest approximately 500 feet from the runway.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RWY 4 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 EST WITH THE PILOT AND 3 PAX. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD CALCULATED THE WEIGHT OF THE PAX PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. PILOT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT, ONLY HAD ONE PRIOR DEPARTURE AT 28A WHICH WAS THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STALL AS IT APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE 40?-50? TREES JUST BEYOND THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET FROM 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 ERA14CA233Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportIndian Trail, NCThe pilot's improper flap retraction during a short field takeoff, which resulted in the aircraft experiencing an aerodynamic stall and impact with trees.May 11, 2014 · Substantial damage