- Date
- June 17, 1995, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Mocksville, NC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9980UGrumman AA1C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950617017419A
- Case key
- 3573
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 improper short field takeoff procedure which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush during the takeoff.
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 pilot was attempting to depart runway 09. The runway is 2943 feet in length, and the density altitude at the time of departure was 2450 feet. The pilot stated that the aircraft accelerated to about 65 knots indicated airspeed, but would not climb sufficiently to clear the tall trees at the departure end of the runway. He stated that he entered the trees in a nose high, stalled attitude. He reported that the engine seemed to be operating normally.
Factual narrative
On June 17, 1995, at 1415 eastern daylight time, a Grumman AA1C, N9980U was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain during take off at Mocksville, North Carolina. The airline transport pilot received minor injuries in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight. The flight was destined for Lincolnton, North Carolina.
The pilot stated that he was departing runway 09. He said the aircraft accelerated to about 65 knots, but would not climb sufficiently to clear the tall trees at the departure end of the runway. He stated that he entered the trees in a nose high, stalled attitude. He reported that the engine seemed to be operating normally.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9980U
- Reported as
- Grumman AA1C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0174
- Airframe hours
- 1,695
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edwin L. Proctor
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 1994 · 34 hours before
- Departed
- 8A7
- Destination
- 5N4 · Lincolnton, NC
- Airport
- 8A7 · Twin Lakes, runway 9, 2,943 × 50 ft, asphalt
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,922 total · 388 in this make and model · 6,500 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- INT, 50 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.