- Date
- October 7, 1992, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Supply, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N72HWPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921007042639A
- Case key
- 8690
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 preflight planning, which resulted in his inablilty to attain a proper climb rate during the takeoff. Factors were the runway conditions (soft, rough terrain, wet grass), the perimeter trees, and the tail wind conditions.
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 to ferry the aircraft from a private, grass field to a local airport so that an annual inspection could be performed. After about 30 minutes of ground operation to familiarize himself with the handling characteristics of the aircraft, he added fuel and prepared for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, he noticed that acceleration was not very good; however, the engine was running smoothly. After rotation, he realized that the aircraft would not clear perimeter trees, so he closed the throttle and attempted to fly between them. The aircraft collided with trees, then fell into an adjacent waterway. The pilot later reported that the 1,100 foot long runway consisted of wet grass, with areas of soft sand. On the takeoff roll, he pulled back on the stick to avoid rough areas. He also reported that the prevailing head wind had shifted to a tail wind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N72HW
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1625
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Conklin, Dale L.
- Registered owner
- Bellamy, Kenneth T.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- NONE
- Destination
- SUT · Southport, NC
- Airport
- NONE · None, runway 18, 1,100 × 50 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 1 in this make and model · 1 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ILM, 24 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.