# NTSB CEN22LA249: Piper PA-28-181, N3553M, Eaton Rapids, MI, June 14, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 14, 2022, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC) - Place: Eaton Rapids, MI - Coordinates: 42.467812, -84.71279 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4678&lon=-84.7128&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Grand Rapids FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105264 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA249 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105264/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105264 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA249 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed in the climb with a quartering tailwind which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 53 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28-181, 70 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102807), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot in the airplane’s left seat reported that they were taking off from a turf runway with a quartering tailwind. The pilot in the right seat was flying and rotated 1,000 ft down the runway where they got into ground effect. About 800 ft from trees at the end of the runway and an airspeed of about 63 kts, the airplane began to climb. After they cleared the first group of trees, the stall warning came on. The pilot pushed the nose over to regain airspeed, but the airplane’s tires caught in a second set of trees. The airplane went into the trees and subsequently impacted the terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the forward fuselage. The left seat pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report was not received from the right seat pilot. At the time of the accident, the airplane was taking off on runway 08 with winds 140 degrees at 10 kts and the density altitude was 2,805 ft. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3553M](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3553M), registered now, S/N 28-7890314, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-7890314 - Year built: 1978 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ixi LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 26, 2022, 5,878.93 hours before - Destination: PTK, Pontiac, MI - Airport: 60G, Skyway Estates Airport, runway 26, 2,653 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 31; injuries: none; commercial, private, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 2, 2021; seat: left; flight hours: 635 total, 386 in this make and model, 511 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 13 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; seat: right ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 10 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 85 °F, dew point 74 °F - Altimeter: 28.00 inHg - Observed at: LAN, 12 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 20220614009819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220614009819A), Jun 14, 2022: Piper PA-28-181, Eaton Rapids, MI, Minor damage. On June 14, 2022 at 18:05 eastern daylight time (EDT), a Piper PA-28 cherokee aircraft, [privacy data omitted], [privacy data omitted], and operated by a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 23, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105264. 2.9 MB in all. - Request for pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - right seat pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 84 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15123865&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20Form%206120;%20Piper%20PA-28-181%20N3553M%20-%20Pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - left seat pilot rated passenger (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15123855&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Left seat pilot supplemental statements to FAA (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15124512&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Supplemental%20Statements-Rel.pdf - Photo log (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 631 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15124836&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Log-Rel.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.