- Date
- August 28, 1994, 17:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- Jackson, MN
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1197XPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940828035009A
- Case key
- 9661
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Factors in the accident were the soft terrain and the ditch.
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 all preflight weight and balance calculations were within limits for the planned one hour flight with a total of five persons aboard. This was confirmed by the FAA inspector. During the takeoff roll, the pilot stated he felt the airplane digging into the soft, wet sod runway. The airplane became airborne briefly but then settled back down onto the runway. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane came to rest in a ravine located at the end of the runway. The pilot stated he did not realize the runway was so soft from the amount of rain that the local area had received recently. No preimpact mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot.
Factual narrative
On August 28, 1994, at 1710 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 140, N1197X, sustained substantial damage during an aborted takeoff from Jackson Municipal Airport, Jackson, Minnesota. The private pilot and four passengers reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight operated in visual meteorological conditions without flight plan.
The pilot and passengers boarded the airplane in preparation for their planned one hour flight back to Jordon, Minnesota. The pilot stated all preflight weight and balance calculations were within limits. This was confirmed by FAA Inspector Jerry Weston. In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll on runway 22 (2274' x 300'), he felt the airplane digging into the soft, wet sod runway. The airplane became airborne briefly but then settled back down onto the runway. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane came to rest in a ravine located at the end of the runway. The pilot stated he did not realize the runway was so soft from the amount of rain that the local area had received recently.
No preimpact mechanical anomalies were reported by the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1197X
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7525306
- Airframe hours
- 2,527
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- D. Ringgenberg/R. Meisen
- Registered owner
- D. Ringgenberg/R. Meisen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 20, 1993 · 25 hours before
- Destination
- MN63 · Jordon, MN
- Airport
- MJQ · Jackson Municipal, runway 22, 2,274 × 300 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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 650 total · 330 in this make and model · 650 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 285° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.