- Date
- February 6, 1985, 13:25 local (18:25 UTC)
- Place
- Lynchburg, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3528UPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11158
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
As the gear was retracting after takeoff, the acft began to lose power. The plt could detect no yaw to either side. When the acft was about 50 feet off the ground, the twr informed the plt that vapor or smoke was trailing from the left eng. The plt acknowledged that he had a problem. The plt then planned and executed a forced landing into trees at the departure end of rwy 21 at Lynchburg municipal airport. Examination of the wreckage by an FAA representative revealed large quanities of jet fuel throughout the fuel system of the acft. Refueling of the acft immediately prior to the accident was accomplished by an experienced lineman who had completed the general aviation manufacturers association's lineman training video tape program. The acft and fuel trucks were marked in standard fashion with appropriate placards.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3528U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-7952147
- Airframe hours
- 2,835
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air Virginia
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · February 5, 1985 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- LYH
- Destination
- CHO · Charlottesville, VA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- LYH · Lunchburg Municipal, runway 21, 5,799 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,900 total · 845 in this make and model · 2,750 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LYH