# Accident 20160805013209A: Piper PA-11, Indianola, IA, August 5, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 5, 2016, 11:13 local time
- Place: Indianola, IA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.4153° N, 93.5614° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4153&lon=-93.5614&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4707M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4707M-2017-01-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-11 (registry code 7101102, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-11
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 255 total, 3 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA310) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160805013209A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT HAD BEEN PRACTICING TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS THAT MORNING BEING THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE AIRCRAFT. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PASSENGER BOARDED THE AIRPLANE. WITNESS REPORTS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF ON THE RUNWAY WITH A SOUTHEAST HEADING.  WITNESSES STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GATHERING ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO TAKE OFF. AND AFTER TAKE-OFF HAVING DIFFICULTY GAINING ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLED BACK TO THE WEST. IN FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WOBBLED LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN DROPPED OUT OF THE AIR.

THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND FACING EAST 090 DEG. THE LEFT WING WAS FLAT ON THE GROUND. THE RIGHT WING ROOT WAS UP OFF THE GROUND SLIGHTLY DUE TO HOW THE FUSELAGE WAS TWISTED AND LYING ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN A POST-CRASH FIRE. ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. ALL CABLES AND CONTROL RODS WERE FOUND CONNECTED. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS BROKEN HOWEVER THE ENGINE WAS STILL IN FRONT OF THE FIREWALL. THE MAGNETOS HAD BEEN SEPARATED / BROKEN OUT OF THE BACK OF THE ENGINE BUT WERE SITTING ON THE ACCESSORY CASE. THE PROPELLER WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE PROP FLANGE. THE LEFT BLADE WAS SPLINTERED SEVERAL INCHES FROM THE HUB. THE SEPARATED PORTION WAS ON THE GROUND UNDER THE ENGINE. A PORTION OF THE RIGHT BLADE WAS MISSING. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK CAP WAS MISSING AND A WELDED SEAM IN THE TANK WAS FOUND RUPTURED.

THE ONLY MARK IN THE TERRAIN WAS THE POINT OF IMPACT.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS BASED AT A PRIVATE AIRPORT WITH A 2350 FT. TURF RUNWAY. WINDS AT THE APPROXIMATE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED TO BE 340 @ 7. WINDS AT DSM, APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WERE REPORTED AS VARIABLE 020 TO 310 @ 7.

## 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 CEN16LA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA310), Aug 5, 2016: Piper PA-11 (N4707M), Indianola, IA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate preflight planning, which resulted in the airplane being operated above its maximum gross weight, degraded its climb performance, and led to an aerodynamic stall during the…

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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