- Date
- November 4, 1992, 21:00 local (Nov 5, 1992, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ames, IA
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N16231Piper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921104045619A
- Case key
- 15619
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 exceeded the aircraft's maximum gross weight limitation which resulted in the failure to obtain a proper climb rate after takeoff.
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 pilot reported that after takeoff at an altitude of aprx 200 ft, the airspeed began to decrease and the engine RPM began to 'wind down.' A witness stated the airplane did not rotate during the takeoff until it was 3/4 to 7/8 the way down the runway. Just prior to the hearing the impact, he stated he saw the airplane at an altitude of aprx 50 ft AGL. Post accident inspection failed to disclose any mechanical failure or malfunction. Weight and balance calculations revealed the airplane was aprx 178 pounds over its maximum gross weight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16231
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7325227
- Airframe hours
- 5,261
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- North Star Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Midwest Aircraft Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 25, 1992 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- AMW
- Airport
- AMW · Ames Municipal, runway 31, 3,492 × 100 ft
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
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 65 total · 4 in this make and model · 19 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 27 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.