- Date
- April 10, 1991, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- New Castle, DE
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2535NPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910410061989A
- Case key
- 11673
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 failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Contributing to the accident was the unfavorable wind condition.
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 reported that when he was cleared for takeoff by the control tower, he was told that the wind was 320 degrees at 20 knots. He stated that during the takeoff roll, the aircraft veered left. He took corrective action by applying right aileron and right rudder, but he was unsuccessful. The aircraft went off the left side of the runway where it struck a taxiway sign. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had more instruction and practice in crosswind and gust conditions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2535N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A0904
- Airframe hours
- 3,741
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dawn Aeronautics, Inc
- Registered owner
- Dawn Aeronautics, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 4, 1991 · 30 hours before
- Airport
- ILG · New Castle County, runway 32, 4,594 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 65 in this make and model · 8 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ILG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.