What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 10, 2022 at 10:45 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28-140 aircraft, privacy data omitted 14 CFR 91 flight school and operated by a certified flight instructor for a personal flight received substantial damage when it struck a fence while trying to takeoff from Sparta Miller Airport (8D4)
Visual meteorological conditions and light winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The private flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and received minor injuries to her forehead and one of the two juvenile passengers received a minor cut on their leg. The flight originated from Sparta Miller Airport, (8D4) Sparta, MI at approximately 10:40 EDT. The aircraft had 36 gallons of fuel, a pilot and two passengers when it departed from runway 25. During the takeoff the pilot felt the aircraft was not performing properly and did not believe they would clear the trees at the end of the runway. An abort was performed with little runway remaining. The aircraft departed the prepared surface and struck the airport boundary fence. The pilot had just received their CFI the previous week and this was the second time flying this particular aircraft.
Weather was reported at 8D4, 8/10/2022 1353Z wind 240@5 temp 71F dew point 61 altimeter 3018
Examination of the accident site revealed that the aircraft impacted a fence and came to rest upright about 450 from the end of runway 25. All major structural components of the airplane stayed intact. The fuel tanks contained 36 gallons of fuel total. The aircraft was within the weight and balance envelope and 75 pounds below max takeoff weight. A mechanic from the flight school examined the engine and performed a compression test showing all cylinders were functioning normally.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 10, 2022 AT 10:45 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (EDT), A PIPER PA-28-140 AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ 14 CFR 91 FLIGHT SCHOOL AND OPERATED BY A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR A PERSONAL FLIGHT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT STRUCK A FENCE WHILE TRYING TO TAKEOFF FROM SPARTA MILLER AIRPORT (8D4)
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES TO HER FOREHEAD AND ONE OF THE TWO JUVENILE PASSENGERS RECEIVED A MINOR CUT ON THEIR LEG. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM SPARTA MILLER AIRPORT, (8D4) SPARTA, MI AT APPROXIMATELY 10:40 EDT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD 36 GALLONS OF FUEL, A PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WHEN IT DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 25. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE PILOT FELT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY AND DID NOT BELIEVE THEY WOULD CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AN ABORT WAS PERFORMED WITH LITTLE RUNWAY REMAINING. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE PREPARED SURFACE AND STRUCK THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY FENCE. THE PILOT HAD JUST RECEIVED THEIR CFI THE PREVIOUS WEEK AND THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME FLYING THIS PARTICULAR AIRCRAFT.
WEATHER WAS REPORTED AT 8D4, 8/10/2022 1353Z WIND 240@5 TEMP 71F DEW POINT 61 ALTIMETER 3018
EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A FENCE AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ABOUT 450 FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 25. ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE STAYED INTACT. THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED 36 GALLONS OF FUEL TOTAL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS WITHIN THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE ENVELOPE AND 75 POUNDS BELOW MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT. A MECHANIC FROM THE FLIGHT SCHOOL EXAMINED THE ENGINE AND PERFORMED A COMPRESSION TEST SHOWING ALL CYLINDERS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.