- Date
- August 14, 1993, 19:20 local (Aug 15, 1993, 00:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ellis, KS
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9666DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930814029449A
- Case key
- 9281
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 inadequate preflight planning and preparation. Factors in the accident are the pilot's premature liftoff, his failure to keep the airplane properly aligned during the initial climb, and the high density altitude.
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 was attempting to takeoff from a county road. The airplane had full fuel, four persons aboard, and the road sloped upward in the direction of takeoff. The air temperature was approximately 93 degrees. The airplane started sinking and drifting to the left while the pilot was flying in ground effect. The airplane drifted off of the road and nosed-over in a ditch. The estimated density altitude at the time of the accident was 4,800' msl.
Factual narrative
On August 14, 1993, at 1920 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22- 150, N9666D, sustained substantial damage when it nosed-over in a ditch during takeoff from a county road near Ellis, Kansas. The private pilot received minor injuries. The three passengers aboard the airplane were not injured. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilot reported he was attempting to takeoff to the west on the county road. He stated he was flying in ground effect with a nose high attitude, and the airplane began to sink and drift to the left. The airplane drifted off the road, hit a ditch, and nosed-over.
The takeoff site elevation was approximately 2,000' msl; the outside air temperature was approximately 93 degrees fahrenheit. The estimated density altitude for these conditions is 4,800' msl (chart attached).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9666D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6582
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William E. Armbrister
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
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
- 47
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 107 in this make and model · 85 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RSL, 30 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.