CHI00LA164

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-235 · Sully, IA · June 11, 2000

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 11, 2000, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
Place
Sully, IA
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N9315WPiper PA-28-235
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 6, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000611007069A
Case key
49446

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 inadvertently applied full flaps during the aborted landing and was not able to gain enough altitude to clear a fence post at the end of the airstrip. Factors associated with the accident were the trees at the approach end of the airstrip, the pilot initially landed long, the grass airstrip was wet, and the fence post which the airplane contacted.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

In flight collision with objectTakeoff - initial climb
Object - tree(s)Factor
Proper touchdown point - not attainedPilot in commandFactor
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - grassFactor
Airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wetFactor
Aborted takeoff - initiatedPilot in command
Flaps - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Object - fence postFactor
Clearance - not attainedPilot in commandCause
Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - rough/uneven

Analysis

The pilot reported that due to obstacles at the approach end of the runway, he touched down approximately 1/3 the way down the 2,100 foot wet grass airstrip. He reported that he raised the flaps and applied the brakes, but the airplane was not going to stop on the remaining runway so he initiated a go around. He stated that he applied full power and lowered the flaps; however, he inadvertantly put the flaps in the full down position. The pilot kept the airplane on the ground until nearing the end of the runway to avoid stalling after takeoff. Just after lift off the right wing contacted a fence post near the end of the runway and the airplane came to rest in rough terrain.

Factual narrative

On June 11, 2000, at 1530 central daylight time (cdt), a Piper PA-28-235, N9315W, operated by a private pilot collided with a barbed wire fence and the terrain during an initial takeoff following an aborted landing. The landing and takeoff were being performed on runway 26 (2,130 feet by 120 feet, wet grass) at the Sully Municipal Airport, Sully, Iowa. The pilot and passenger both received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged.

The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The flight originated at Independence, Iowa, at 1500 cdt.

The pilot reported that while on final approach he tried to keep the airspeed at 80 miles per hour. He stated that there were tall trees at the approach end of the runway and "I think that due to watching the speed and clearing the obstacles on the east end of the runway, we touched down about 1/3 down the runway." The pilot reported that upon touchdown he raised the flaps and began to use the brakes. He continued to state that the airstrip was wet due to the light rain that was falling and the airplane was not slowing down when he applied the brakes. The pilot reported, "We started to skid a little to the northwest and the plane was not slowing down enough to stop before we ran out of runway."

The pilot reported that he decided to initiate a "go around" at which time he added full power and applied the flaps. The pilot reported that he inadvertently applied "full flaps" when he initiated the go around at a point 2/3 to 3/4 the way down the runway. The pilot reported that he kept the airplane on the runway until nearing the end of the runway so it wouldn't stall on takeoff. He reported, "Right at the end I saw a few fence post and the barbed wire fence. The bottom of the plane struck the fence and we came down in the bean field. The plane came to a fast stop when it hit a four to five foot area of the field that was heavily eroded."

Post accident inspection of the airplane revealed the right wing contacted one of the fence posts. The nose and right main landing gears were torn from the airplane. The left wing was bent forward into the fuselage and left side of the cockpit/fuselage area was buckled.

Aircraft

Registration
N9315W
Reported as
Piper PA-28-235
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-10996
Airframe hours
3,598
Engine
Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Robert J. Pehkonen
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · September 15, 1999 · 79 hours before
Departed
IIB · Independence, IA
Destination
IIB
Airport
8C2 · Sully Municipal, runway 26, 2,130 × 120 ft, grass/turf

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
31
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
643 total · 472 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
4,500 ft overcast
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.