- Date
- April 25, 2002, 15:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Viburnum, MO
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N36555Piper PA-32RT-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020425009239A
- Case key
- 54663
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 short field takeoff planning and procedure. The takeoff weight above the maximum gross weight and the hill were contributing factors.
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.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted a hill during an aborted takeoff from runway 27. The pilot stated that he used an informal short field takeoff procedure using 10 degrees of trailing edge flaps. He also stated that the airplane was 80 lbs over its gross weight limit. After realizing the airplane had a less than expected climb rate, the pilot performed an aborted takeoff on the remainder of runway 27 in an attempt to avoid hitting a church along the climb path. The landing gear was sheared from the airplane, and the right main landing gear impacted the horizontal stabilizer. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, 25 degrees of flaps is the flap setting for short field takeoff. There is no published takeoff performance data for 10 degrees of flaps.
Factual narrative
On April 25, 2002, at 1545 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N36555, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted a hill during an aborted takeoff on runway 27 (3,195 feet by 47 feet, asphalt) at the Viburnum Airport, Viburnum, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and three passengers were uninjured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated that he used an informal short field takeoff procedure using 10 degrees of trailing edge flaps. He also stated that the airplane was 80 lbs over its maximum gross weight. After realizing the airplane had a less than expected climb rate, the pilot performed an aborted takeoff on the remainder of runway 27 in an attempt to avoid hitting a church along the climb path. The airplane's landing gear was sheared off by contact with a hill. The right main landing gear impacted the horizontal stabilizer.
According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the airplane, 25 degrees of flaps is the proper flap setting for a short field takeoff. The POH does not contain takeoff performance data for a takeoff with 10 degrees of flaps.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36555
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7885194
- Airframe hours
- 3,250
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wom Aviation Incorporated
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MO84 · Viburnum, MO
- Airport
- MO84 · Viburnum Aiport, runway 27, 3,195 × 47 ft, asphalt
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
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- November 9, 2001
- Flight hours
- 165 total · 55 in this make and model · 55 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 3 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- FAM, 30 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 338 KB 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.