# Accident 20191224018929A: Piper PA-28-140, Cortland, NY, December 24, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 24, 2019, 16:30 local time
- Place: Cortland, NY
- Airport: Cortland Co-Chase
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.5928° N, 76.2150° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.5928&lon=-76.2150&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7450R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7450R-2021-03-20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 35 total, 35 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20CA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA110) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20191224018929A

## Narrative

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

^MR. ANDERSON^ IS CURRENTLY THE HOLDER OF A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE.  HE HAS A CURRENT SOLO ENDORSEMENT, AND A CURRENT MEDICAL CERTIFICATE.  HE WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS PERFORMING A LOCAL SOLO FLIGHT UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, ^MR. JAMES SPALLER^.

^MR. ANDERSON^ HAD JUST RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FROM THE LOCAL PRACTICE AREA INTENDING TO DO SOME LANDING PRACTICE.  HAD HAD LANDED, TAXIED BACK FOR TAKEOFF AND CONFIGURED THE AIRCRAFT FOR A SIMULATED SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF.

THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WAS VFR, WINDS OUT OF THE NW AT 5-6 MPH.  THE RUNWAY CONDITION WAS DRY WITH SNOWBANKS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.

AFTER APPLYING FULL THROTTLE FOR TAKEOFF, AND WHILE APPLYING BACK PRESSURE TO THE YOKE TO SIMULATE A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF, THE NOSE CAME OFF THE RUNWAY AND BLOCKED HIS FORWARD VIEW.  ^MR. ANDERSON^ DID NOT RELIEVE SUFFICIENT BACK PRESSURE TO MAINTAIN HIS FORWARD VIEW OF THE RUNWAY, AND DID NOT APPLY SUFFICIENT RIGHT RUDDER TO COUNTER-ACT THE LEFT TURNING TENDENCIES, RESULTING IN A GRADUAL DRIFT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.  VERY SHORTLY AFTER THE MAIN WHEELS LEFT THE RUNWAY, THEY STRUCK THE SNOWBANK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY RESULTING IN A SUDDEN DOWNWARD MOTION OF THE NOSE WHICH THEN STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED OVER IT'S NOSE COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK.

^MR. ANDERSON^ SUFFERED MINOR LACERATIONS TO HIS HEAD, BUT WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT UNDER HIS OWN POWER AND GO FOR HELP.

## 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 ERA20CA110](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA110), Dec 24, 2019: Piper PA28 (N7450R), Cortland, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading during takeoff, which resulted in impact with a snowbank and a subsequent nose-over.

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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