- Date
- January 5, 1992, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Edgartown, MA
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N38781Piper PA-32R-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11758
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
Failure of the pilot to attain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall. Factors related to the accident were the crosswind, the pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind and failure to maintain proper alignment with the runway, and high obstructions.
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 rotated the airplane for takeoff between 50 and 55 knots. He noticed immediately that the airplane was drifting to the right and not climbing very well. He said he looked out of the side window and saw that he was going to hit some trees, so he turned the airplane left and pulled back on the yoke. He stated that the airplane rose approximately 30 feet in altitude and then stalled. The airplane collided with a shed shearing off a wing and then hit a fuel pump shering off the other wing. Post accident investigations determined that there were no anomalies with the airplane and the airplane was fully fueled. The pilot reported that the winds were from 320 degrees at 25 knots and the gross weight of the airplane was 3,570 lbs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38781
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R 7780472
- Airframe hours
- 1,735
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-KIG5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary Mead
- Registered owner
- Gary Mead
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 8, 1991 · 73 hours before
- Departed
- 1B2
- Destination
- DXR · Danbury, CT
- Airport
- 1B2 · Katama Airpark, runway 35, 2,600 × 60 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 504 total · 380 in this make and model · 401 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 3 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg