- Date
- August 31, 2010, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Anderson, IN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3969KPiper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 11, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20100831044889A
- Case key
- 77200
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 abort the takeoff due to degraded airplane performance.
Findings · 1
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 reported that he was conducting an introductory flight with two passengers. During departure, the airplane did not continue climbing or gain altitude due to the high density altitude. The airplane started to descend and he lowered the nose. The airplane continued to sink and it sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the accident flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was giving a "discovery flight." After takeoff from the 3400 foot runway, the airplane did not continue to climb or gain altitude. According to the pilot the airplane started to sink and he lowered the airplane's nose. The airplane continued to sink and it sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain. The pilot's accident report listed no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the accident flight. The calculated local density altitude was 3,099 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3969K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-23853
- Airframe hours
- 4,802
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- ANDAIR Aircraft Rental and Instruction
- Registered owner
- Anderson Flyers Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 31, 2010
- Departed
- AID · Anderson, IN
- Destination
- AID · Anderson, IN
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- AID · Anderson Municipal Airport, runway 18, 3,400 × 75 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
- 87
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 17, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,275 total · 422 in this make and model · 8,249 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- AID
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 14, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 964 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.