- Date
- June 23, 1994, 10:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Seven Springs, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N40051Piper PA-32R-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 31, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 8941
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 attain adequate airspeed and his premature liftoff which resulted in a stall mush and collision with trees.
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 during takeoff as the airplane accelerated 2/3 down the runway the airplane lifted off initially then settled back onto the runway. He stated that he continued the takeoff and the engine started to sputter. He stated that the airplane reached an altitude of about 50 to 100 feet above the ground and he stalled the airplane into the trees 100 to 200 yards from the end of the runway. The airplane was removed from the accident site and examined by the FAA. The examination did not disclose any anomalies that would caused the malfunction.
Factual narrative
On June 23, 1994, at 1045 eastern daylight time, N40051, a Piper PA 32R-300, operated by Tanager Corporation of Brighton, Michigan, sustained substantial damage during takeoff at Seven Springs Airport, Seven Springs, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries while his two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal flight was operated under 14 CFR 91.
The pilot reported that during takeoff as the airplane accelerated 2/3 down the runway the airplane lifted off initially then settled back onto the runway. He stated that he continued to takeoff and that at about 50 to 100 feet above the ground the engine started to sputter. The pilot stated that he stalled the airplane into the trees about 100 to 200 yards from the end of the runway.
The airplane was removed from the accident site and examined by the FAA. The examination included placing the engine on a test stand and no anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40051
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3R-7780512
- Airframe hours
- 3,900
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tanager Corporation
- Registered owner
- Tanager Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 10, 1993 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- 7SP · PA
- Destination
- ILG · Wilmington, DE
- Airport
- 7SP · Seven Springs, runway 28, 3,045 × 42 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
- 64
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,200 total · 2,000 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JST, 28 nm away