- Date
- March 27, 2006, 13:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N939RGPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 31, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Case key
- 63408
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate evaluation of weather conditions and loss of directional control, which resulted in the airplane exiting the runway during the takeoff roll, and striking a sign. A factor associated with the accident was a dust devil.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private pilot was conducting a local personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said that during the takeoff roll he encountered a dust devil, and lost directional control of the airplane. The pilot said the airplane exited the runway and struck a runway sign, which broke off the left wheel and axle assembly. The airplane continued on, striking another sign, breaking off the left landing gear strut, and damaging the left wing leading edge. The pilot also reported the airplane sustained dents in the fuselage.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was conducting a local personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said during the takeoff roll he encountered a dust devil, and lost directional control of the airplane. The pilot said the airplane exited the runway and struck a runway sign, which broke off the left wheel and axle assembly. The airplane continued on, striking another sign, breaking off the left landing gear strut, and damaging the left wing leading edge. The pilot also reported the airplane sustained dents in the fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N939RG
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-81A0070
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James Hinrichs
- Registered owner
- Thomas L. Fletcher
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AVQ · Marana, AZ
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 414 total · 400 in this make and model · 13 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
Other investigations on N939RG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.