- Date
- July 27, 1989, 08:10 local (13:10 UTC)
- Place
- Nappanee, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3923FPiper PA-32R-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 22, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890727025419A
- Case key
- 14388
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-in-command's improper preflight calculation of weight and balance and the aircraft's inadequate climb capability due to low compression.
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
While attempting to takeoff on a part 135 cargo flight, the pilot observed that the airplane was not demonstrating a positive rate of climb. He aborted the takeoff, but was unable to stop the airplane on the runway. It continued across a field, roadway, and ditch, separating the left wing from the airplane. Post- accident evaluation revealed 4 of the 6 cylinders to have inadequate compression, the maximum gross weight was exceeded, and the center of gravity was aft of acceptable limits.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3923F
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7680419
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Branch County Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 29, 1989
- Departed
- C03
- Destination
- FAM · Farmington, MO
- Airport
- C03 · Nappanee Municipal, runway 27, 3,000 × 50 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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,322 total · 19 in this make and model · 1,227 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SBN, 23 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.