- Date
- August 31, 2018, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Teresa, NM
- Injuries
- 6 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N747DAPiper PA46
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 3, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20180831016129A
- Case key
- 98326
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 decision to attempt to take off in an overweight airplane in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to climb, an aborted takeoff, and a subsequent runway excursion.
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 and five passengers were departing the airport on an international cross-country flight. The pilot attempted an intersection takeoff in high density altitude conditions over the airplane's maximum gross weight. The airplane would not become airborne, so the pilot back taxied and attempted to take off on the full length of another runway. The airplane lifted off but was not climbing, so the pilot lowered the nose and the airplane hit the runway hard. The airplane veered right and exited the runway surface, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that he attempted the takeoff in an overweight airplane at a high density altitude. Calculations showed that the airplane's maximum gross takeoff weight was exceeded by at least 300 lbs, and the density altitude was about 6,900 ft.
Factual narrative
On August 31, 2018, about 1700 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA46-350P airplane, N747DA, registered to a private individual, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff from the Dona Ana International Jetport (DNA), Santa Teresa, New Mexico. All 6 occupants, the private pilot and 5 passengers, were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The personal cross country flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Federal Code of Regulations Part 91. The flight's intended destination was Chihuahua, Mexico. After refueling and loading the passengers and baggage, the pilot taxied to the intersection of taxiway Delta and runway 10 at DNA. With 10° of flaps and full throttle, the pilot began the takeoff on runway 10 from the intersection. The airplane did not lift off, so the pilot stopped the takeoff and back taxied to the end of the reciprocal runway (runway 28). The pilot reported that the wind was calm. With 20° of flaps and full throttle, the pilot started to takeoff, using the full length of runway 28. Approaching 60-70 knots, the airplane started to liftoff, but was not climbing. The pilot then lowered the nose toward the runway. The airplane hit the runway hard, veered to the right, and exited the runway. After the airplane came to a stop in the grass, all occupants exited. During the excursion, the left main landing gear collapsed. The top of the left wing was punctured and the right wing's leading edge was buckled and dented along the span of the front spar. The pilot reported on the National Transportation Safety Board Accident Report Form 6120 that he took off overweight and at a high density altitude. The pilot also indicated on the form that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations. Data from the aircraft's weight and balance sheet (dated June 8, 2008), fuel logs, and estimated pilot/passenger weights were used to calculate the airplane's takeoff weight at the time of the accident. The calculations estimated the takeoff weight to be about 4,675 lbs., without baggage. Fixed Base Operator personnel reported that a large amount of baggage was loaded onto the airplane before takeoff; however, the weight of this baggage was not known. The maximum takeoff weight for the airplane was 4,358 lbs. the density altitude was approximately 6,900 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N747DA
- Reported as
- Piper PA46 (350P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4636445
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 1,277
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 26, 2017
- Departed
- DNA · Santa Teresa, NM
- Destination
- Chihuahua
- Airport
- DNA · Dona Ana County Int Jetport, runway 28, 9,550 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 12, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,500 total · 700 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- DNA
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 3, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.4 MB 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.