- Date
- July 19, 1995, 14:20 local (18:20 UTC)
- Place
- Franklin, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6303APiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950719019199A
- Case key
- 3599
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 premature lift-off, which resulted in a stall and collision with the ground.
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 stated that he was performing a short field takeoff, and used 'one notch' of flaps. After liftoff, the airplane settled, losing airspeed and altitude, and began drifting left. It contacted the ground on the left wing and tail simultaneously. In his report, the pilot said he lifted off early, with inadequate airspeed.
Factual narrative
On July 19, 1995, about 1420 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-38-112, N6303A, collided with an embankment during takeoff from the Macon County Airport, Franklin, North Carolina. The airplane was operated by the owner/pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan was not filed for the personal flight. The private pilot was not injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, he was executing a short field takeoff. After lift off, the airplane settled, losing airspeed and altitude, and began drifting to the left. He stated that the airplane contacted the ground with the left wing and tail, simultaneously. The pilot opined that "the cause was a combination of air temperature and lifting off too soon with inadequate airspeed."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6303A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0374
- Airframe hours
- 2,402
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William Cribbs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 14, 1995 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- 1A5
- Destination
- 0A4 · Johnson City, TN
- Airport
- 1A5 · Macon County, runway 7, 4,400 × 75 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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 594 total · 502 in this make and model · 519 as pilot in command · 28 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AVL, 45 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.