- Date
- July 23, 2009, 12:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N301RTPiper PA32R
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090723012799A
- Case key
- 74377
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 low altitude encounter with windshear during takeoff.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, the tower controller cautioned for wind shear and then cleared the flight to depart. The pilot delayed momentarily to assess the wind conditions and then departed. The airplane climbed to 75 feet, and then began to lose altitude as if the airplane was "being pushed down." The pilot applied corrective measures but was unable to arrest the descent. The airplane impacted the runway resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The automated special weather observation report, issued shortly after the time of the accident, reported winds variable from 100 degrees to 160 degrees at 7 knots with light rain.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the tower controller cautioned for wind shear and then cleared the flight to depart. The pilot delayed momentarily to assess the wind conditions and then departed. The airplane climbed to 75 feet, and then began to lose altitude as if the airplane was "being pushed down." The pilot applied corrective measures but was unable to arrest the descent. The airplane impacted the runway resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The automated special weather observation report, issued shortly after the time of the accident, reported winds variable from 100 degrees to 160 degrees at 7 knots with light rain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N301RT
- Reported as
- Piper PA32R (301T)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-8229068
- Airframe hours
- 2,770
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dean Sather
- Registered owner
- Dean Sather
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 13, 2009
- Departed
- KCOS · Colorado Springs, CO
- Destination
- Amarillo, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- KCOS · Colorado Springs Municipal, runway 17R, 11,022 × 150 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
- 39
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 31, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 930 total · 355 in this make and model · 848 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOS
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 668 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.