- Date
- August 10, 2023, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Harvard, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2351APiper PA-38-112
- 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
- Federal Aviation Adminstration
- FAA report
- 20230810013309A
- Case key
- 192870
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 takeoff that resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with the cornfield.
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 stated that prior to departure, he preflighted the airplane and found no anomalies. There no issues with his takeoff from the grass airstrip but once airborne, he felt uncomfortable to continue the flight due to hazy weather conditions. He then returned to the airstrip and landed without incident. He attempted a second takeoff with a left quartering crosswind, during which the airplane moved aggressively to the left. He applied additional right rudder control input, but the left turn increased, and the airplane impacted a cornfield about 1,000 ft down the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left- and right-wing spars and the fuselage. The pilot stated the accident could have been prevented by reducing the throttle setting or turning off the magnetos in a timely manner. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2351A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0649
- Built
- 1978
- Engine
- Lycoming L2C, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 8IL0 · Adkins Airport, runway 36, 1,950 × 78 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 2, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 260 in this make and model · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- RFD, 22 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 9, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.9 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 N2351A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.