# Accident 20200814013729A: Piper PA-28-140, Harlowtown, MT, August 14, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 14, 2020, 15:40 local time
- Place: Harlowtown, MT
- Airport: Wheatland County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.4486° N, 109.8528° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.4486&lon=-109.8528&mi=10
- Aircraft: N317LB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N317LB) (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: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total, 600 in this make and model, 53 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA278) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200814013729A

## Narrative

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

PILOT DEPARTED AIRPORT LOADED TO MAX GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 80 DEGREES F. ON DEPARTURE ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND PROCEEDED TO SLOWLY CLIMB TO AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 100' AGL. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PERFORMING AS EXPECTED AND WAS BEGINNING TO SLOW DOWN. THE PILOT PITCHED THE NOSE LOWER AND LOWER TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AIRSPEED AT WHICH POINT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE PILOT ELECTED TO KEEP DESCENDING INTO THE FIELD AHEAD IN ORDER TO KEEP FROM STALLING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON A FIELD AND IMPACTED A FENCE WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER. MINOR INJURIES. AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

## 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 WPR20LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA278), Aug 14, 2020: Piper PA28 (N317LB), Harlowton, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to follow the appropriate takeoff procedures, which resulted in a collision with terrain.

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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