- Date
- September 24, 1989, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- China Grove, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9400DPiper PA-22-160
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890924035789A
- Case key
- 8070
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
Pilot's loss of control during the final approach in that he failed to establish a proper glidepath. The airplane landed short of the runway. During the attempted go-around his improper use of rudder and aileron, following the application of full power, resulted in a collision with trees to the left of the runway.
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 airplane collided with trees during initial climb, following an aborted landing. The plt reported the following: the airplane encountered a 'wind shift' during final approach, as it came over an open field after crossing trees. The airplane then dropped 'real fast', hit the ground a few feet short of the rwy, and bounced back into the air. Full power was applied, and an attempt was made to go around; the airplane veered to the left and collided with trees adjacent to the rwy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9400D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6372
- Airframe hours
- 11
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brown, Homer E.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 5A1 · Marion, VA
- Airport
- Brown, runway 9, 1,300 × 200 ft, grass/turf
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
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 200 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSO, 39 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.