# Accident 20210520006249A: Piper PA-28-140, Washington Cour, OH, May 20, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 20, 2021, 19:45 local time - Place: Washington Cour, OH - Airport: Fayette County - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.5704° N, 83.4172° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5704&lon=-83.4172&mi=10 - Aircraft: N15033, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N15033) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming O&GO-145C series (registry code 41503, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-go-145c-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-140 - Reported engine: LYCOMING O&GO-145C SER - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Student - Pilot flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA229) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210520006249A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. STATEMENT RECEIVED BY OPS INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CVG GL05 OFFICE 01-JUN-2021. ON MAY 20, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:45 P.M. EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (2345 ZULU), PIPER PA-28-140, N15033 EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 23 AT THE FAYETTE COUNTY AIRPORT (I23) AS THE STUDENT PILOT WAS PRACTICING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE SINGLE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT TRAVELED ACROSS A DRAINAGE DITCH ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WILMINGTON AIR PARK (KILN) WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS WIND 130 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, FEW CLOUDS AT 6500 FEET BROKEN. FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^: I WAS PRACTICING FOR MY UPCOMING PPL CHECKRIDE. I WAS PERFORMING SOFT-FIELD TAKEOFF MANEUVERS ON RUNWAY 23 AT I23 (FAYETTE COUNTY AIRPORT). I HAD DONE ABOUT 5 OF THEM THE DAY BEFORE WITH NO ISSUES, AND WAS GOING TO PERFORM MY LAST ONE FOR THE AFTERNOON BEFORE I WENT HOME. THERE WAS A 6-7 KNOT DIRECT CROSSWIND FROM THE LEFT, WHICH I HAD TAKEN OFF WITH PREVIOUSLY (AND WAS WITHIN THE LIMITS SET BY MY INSTRUCTOR). WHEN I STARTED THE TAKE-OFF ROLL ONTO THE RUNWAY, EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. AFTER THE NOSE-GEAR HAD LIFTED FROM THE RUNWAY (TYPICAL FOR THIS TYPE OF TAKE-OFF), THE PLANE STARTED TO TURN TO THE LEFT TOWARD THE FIELD ON THE SOUTH-EAST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AS THIS HAPPENED, I APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER PRESSURE, BUT IT DID NOT HAVE MUCH EFFECT ON THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS I REALIZED THAT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO THE GRASS, I APPLIED HARD BREAKS TO BOTH RUDDER PEDALS, AND THE PLANE SHARPLY VEERED TO THE LEFT INTO THE DITCH ON THE SOUTH-EAST SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. I AM SKEPTICAL OF WHETHER THE MAIN GEAR WAS SLIGHTLY OFF OF THE RUNWAY, AND WHEN IT SETTLED DOWN TO THE RUNWAY, IT CAUGHT THE LEFT MAIN GEAR BEFORE THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR, AND BECAUSE I HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED, IT SHARPLY TURNED TO THE LEFT. ## 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 CEN21LA229](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA229), May 20, 2021: Piper PA-28-140 (N15033), Washington Court House, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during a soft field takeoff. ## Other reports on N15033 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20060910030019I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060910030019I), Sep 10, 2006: Piper PA28140 (N15033), Yellow Springs, OH, No damage. (-23) Pilot operated aircraft in a careless and reckless manner less than 500 ft. AGL over an open air assembly of people in the community of Yellow Springs,… - [Accident 19770319004919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770319004919A), Mar 19, 1977: Piper PA28140 (N15033), Lake City, FL, Substantial damage 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.