- Date
- July 6, 2010, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Albuquerque, NM
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N106CPiper PA32
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Albuquerque FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100706039659A
- Case key
- 76551
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 maintain directional control of the airplane 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
The pilot was taking off to the east with winds at the time of the accident from 060 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot said the airplane made a sudden hard turn to the left just before liftoff. He applied right rudder and right brake but the airplane drifted off of the left side of the runway and the right wing impacted a runway marker sign 130 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The impact caused substantial damage to the right wing, aileron, flap and stabilator. The fuel tank in the right wing ruptured and there was a substantial fuel spill, but no post-impact fire. The pilot and his three passengers were not injured and exited the airplane unassisted. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the scene and examined the airplane reported that there were no anomalies with the brake system, nosewheel steering, or flight controls.
Factual narrative
The pilot was taking off to the east on a 13,793 feet long by 150 feet wide concrete runway. The winds reported at the time of the accident were from 060 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot said the airplane made a sudden hard turn to the left just before liftoff. He applied right rudder and right brake but the airplane drifted off of the left side of the runway and the right wing impacted a runway marker sign 130 feet to the left of the runway centerline. The impact caused substantial damage to the right wing, aileron, flap and stabilator. The fuel tank in the right wing ruptured and there was a substantial fuel spill, but no post-impact fire. The pilot and his three passengers were not injured and exited the airplane unassisted. The pilot reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the scene and examined the airplane reported that there were no anomalies with the brake system, nose wheel steering, or flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N106C
- Reported as
- Piper PA32 (301FT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3232039
- Airframe hours
- 872
- Engine
- Lycoming IO540, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 6, 2010 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- TPL · Temple, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- ABQ · Albuquerque Intl Sunport Airpo, runway 08, 13,793 × 150 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 6, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,665 total · 872 in this make and model · 1,665 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- ABQ, 1 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 16, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 946 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.
Other investigations on N106C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.