- Date
- May 20, 2021, 19:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- Washington Court House, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N15033Piper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards
- FAA report
- 20210520006249A
- Case key
- 103125
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 during a soft field 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 reported that he was performing a soft-field takeoff in preparation for his upcoming private pilot checkride when after the nose wheel lifted off the runway, the airplane yawed to the left. He applied right rudder in an attempt to maintain control; however, when a runway excursion seemed imminent, he applied full brake pressure on both pedals. The airplane veered “sharply” to the left, exited the runway, and impacted a ditch before coming to rest in an adjacent field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that attempting to steer the airplane back toward the runway centerline and not applying the brakes might have prevented the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N15033
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7225556
- Built
- 1972
- Airframe hours
- 7,785
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 2021 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- I23 · Washington Court House, OH
- Airport
- I23 · Fayette County, runway 23, 5,097 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, 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
- 38
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- March 22, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 47 total · 47 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.50 inHg
- Observed at
- I23, 0.5 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 7, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.5 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.
Other investigations on N15033 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.