- Date
- April 8, 1990, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lovingston, VA
- Injuries
- 3 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N8874DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900408007659A
- Case key
- 11585
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 failure to climb out of ground effect because of inadequate airspeed. Factor was unfavorable wind at 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 plt reported that before takeoff the wind was calm. However, during the takeoff there was a sudden tailwind. According to the plt, he lifted off at 65 mph, but was unable to climb and the acft settled back down on the rwy. The acft overran the 1800 ft long-grass runway and went down an embankment. The plt reported no mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8874D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6048
- Airframe hours
- 2,800
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Larry Saunders/Thomas Hall
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 1990 · 14 hours before
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 118 total · 32 in this make and model · 75 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.