- Date
- April 5, 2009, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- North Little Rock, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9600DPiper PA-22-160
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090405003289A
- Case key
- 73608
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during takeoff.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot attempted takeoff with crosswinds that were 60 degrees off of the runway heading at 24 knots, gusting to 34 knots. Unable to keep the airplane on the runway centerline, the pilot reportedly elected to exit the downwind side of the concrete runway onto the grass. As the airplane exited the runway's edge it nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer sustained structural damage. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane's flight controls.
Factual narrative
The pilot attempted a crosswind takeoff with winds 60 degrees off runway heading at 24 knots gusting to 34 knots. Unable to keep the airplane on the runway centerline the pilot reportedly elected to exit the downwind side of the concrete runway onto the grass. As the airplane exited the runway's edge it nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer sustained structural damage. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane's flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9600D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-160
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6509
- Airframe hours
- 1,983
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 2007
- Departed
- ORK · North Little Rock, AR
- Destination
- M77 · Nashville, AR
- Airport
- ORK · North Little Rock Municipal, runway 23, 5,002 × 75 ft, concrete
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
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 27, 1994
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 254 total · 133 in this make and model · 214 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 24 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LIT, 6 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9600D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.