- Date
- June 1, 2024, 13:55 local (18:55 UTC)
- Place
- Dalhart, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9715TPiper PA-38-112
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Miscellaneous/other
- 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
- FAA report
- 20240601008009A
- Case key
- 194369
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 improper decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum allowable gross weight at a high density altitude, which degraded its climb performance and led an off airport landing.
Findings · 4
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 during the initial climb the airplane reached 300 ft agl and then began to sink. He made a shallow turn, committed to landing in a field, and then began shutting down the engine, fuel, and electrical systems. During landing in the rough field the landing gear collapsed and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Based on information provided by the pilot, the airplane was roughly 100 lbs over the maximum allowable gross weight. The meteorological data for the date and time of the accident was used to calculate an estimated density altitude of 6,473 ft. Surface conditions showed a 20 knot direct headwind gusting to 30 knots for the runway being used and an outside air temperature of 29° Celsius. The performance chart for the airplane at maximum gross weight for these conditions showed a climb performance of about 400 feet per minute (fpm). It is likely that the airplane, which was overweight and operating at a high-density altitude, had a lower climb performance.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9715T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-78A0168
- Built
- 1978
- Airframe hours
- 3,619.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Easy Smiles And Expensive Watches LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 23, 2023 · 86.5 hours before
- Departed
- DHT · Dalhart, TX
- Destination
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- DHT · Dalhart Muni, runway 21, 5,440 × 75 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, 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
- 20
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 187.6 total · 84.1 in this make and model · 135.6 as pilot in command · 55.5 in the last 90 days · 36.7 in the last 30 days · 6.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 20 knots, gusting 34
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KDHT, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KDHT 011853Z AUTO 21020G34KT 10SM CLR 29/09 A3004 RMK AO2 PK WND 20034/1845 SLP116 T02940094
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.6 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.