# NTSB CEN10CA361: Piper PA-20, N7686K, Dover, AR, June 2, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 2, 2010, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC) - Place: Dover, AR - Coordinates: 35.400001, -93.065834 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4000&lon=-93.0658&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 20, 2010 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 76485 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA361 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76485/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76485 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA361 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees during takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-20, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=7102002), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to a written statement provided by the pilot to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane hit a deer during the takeoff roll from a private grass strip. The airplane was unable to clear the trees at the end of the runway, impacted the tree tops, and came to rest on the far side of the trees. Both main landing gear were spread out and the propeller was bent. An examination of the airframe and its systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed minor damage and no mechanical anomalies. The pilot confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. On June 30, 2010, the Safety Board was notified, by the passenger, that he had sustained serious injuries during the accident. The passenger also elaborated that the airplane had not impacted a deer; however, the airplane had an "extremely long" takeoff roll and had impacted the tree tops at the departure end of the runway prior to impacting the ground. The pilot did not submit the Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form 6120.1/2, as requested multiple times by the Safety Board. ## Factual narrative According to a written statement provided by the pilot to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane hit a deer during the takeoff roll from a private grass strip. The airplane was unable to clear the trees at the end of the runway, impacted the tree tops, and came to rest on the far side of the trees. Both main landing gear were spread out and the propeller was bent. An examination of the airframe and its systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed minor damage and no mechanical anomalies. The pilot confirmed that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane. On June 30, 2010, the Safety Board was notified, by the passenger, that he had sustained serious injuries during the accident. The passenger also elaborated that the airplane had not impacted a deer; however, the airplane had an "extremely long" takeoff roll and had impacted the tree tops at the departure end of the runway prior to impacting the ground. The pilot did not submit the Pilot Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report form 6120.1/2, as requested multiple times by the Safety Board. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7686K](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7686K-2012-03-26), registration cancelled 2012-03-26, S/N 20-508 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-20 - Registry model: [Piper PA-20](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-20) (registry code 7102002) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 20-508 - Engines: Lycoming O-290 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: AR89, Dover, AR - Destination: AR89, Dover, AR - Airport: AR89, Landers Loop - Dover, Arkansas, runway 20, 2,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 19, 2008; seat: left; flight hours: 3,100 total, 120 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 91 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.72 inHg - Observed at: KRUE, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100602035529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100602035529A), Jun 2, 2010: Piper PA-20, Dover, AR, Minor damage. A Piper PA-20 not registered, operated by [privacy data omitted] at 1645 June 2, 2010 attempted a takeoff from a grass strip 5 miles east of Dover Arkansas.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76485. 665 KB in all. - Record of Telephone Conversation - Passenger (item 1, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40333291&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20-%20Passenger-Redacted.PDF - FAA Form 8020-23 Dane Knight (item 2, .PDF, 644 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40334048&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Form%208020-23%20Dane%20Knight-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.