- Date
- August 12, 1994, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Freeport, PA
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2341LBeech 23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 18, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940812021339A
- Case key
- 8957
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 student pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and the instructor's inadequate supervision.
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 instructor and student were on a training flight when the airplane struck trees during takeoff on runway 21. The instructor reported they were doing a short field takeoff, when the student 'froze' at the control wheel. The instructor was unable to regain control of the airplane, which drifted right and struck trees at the end and right of the runway. According to the student pilot, who had 39 hours of total time, the airplane was flying in ground effect, but would not gain altitude. Witnesses reported the airplane lifted off, with a high pitch- right bank attitude.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1993, a Beech 23, N2341L, an instructional flight, collided with trees during initial take off climb near Freeport, Pennsylvania. The visual meteorolgical conditions existed. The certified flight instructor received minor injuries; the student pilot was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The local area instructional flight was being operated by Neal Plocki of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The instructor reported, "after normal (engine) run-up, attempted takeoff. At rotation, aircraft lifted off ground, then dropped back on wheels. On the next rotation attempt, aircraft was flying in ground effect, but would not gain altitude. At this point, power was reduced and instructor steered aircraft to an area to right of runway to an area of trees. The right wing was sheared off, and the left side of aircraft struck trees."
According to the FAA, "Witnesses stated the aircraft lifted off with a high nose attiude and a low right wing. It continued to fly down the runway, drifting to the right until it hit trees . . . The instructor stated that they were executing a short field takeoff when the studen "froze" on the controls and the instructor could not get control of the aircraft from the student.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2341L
- Reported as
- Beech 23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M-172
- Airframe hours
- 2,250
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Neal Plocki
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1994 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- P37
- Destination
- P37 · PA
- Airport
- P37 · Mcville, runway 21, 2,000 × 40 ft, grass/turf
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
- 67
- Certificate
- Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.