# NTSB CHI96LA003: Piper PA-28-236, N9090X, Thorp, WI, October 9, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 9, 1995, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Thorp, WI - Coordinates: 44.949035, -90.800308 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.9490&lon=-90.8003&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 4, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 10127 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI96LA003 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/10127/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI96LA003 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff and the premature liftoff which resulted in an inadvertent stall. Factors relating to this accident are improper planning and decision by the pilot, and the tall, wet grass. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - high vegetation (contributing factor) - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - wet (contributing factor) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor) - aborted takeoff - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - lift-off - premature, pilot in command (cause) - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT GENERATING ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO FLY. PRIOR TO REACHING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT 'PULLED THE NOSEWHEEL OF THE AIRPLANE OFF THE GROUND AND BOUNCED INTO THE AIR.' HE LEVELED THE NOSE WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10-15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND BUT THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY ROLLED LEFT AND THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE AIRFIELD WAS DESCRIBED AS A GRASS STRIP WITH A SIGNIFICANT UPSLOPE. THE GRASS WAS APPROXIMATELY A FOOT HIGH AND WET. NO GUIDANCE IS PROVIDED IN THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR TAKEOFF ON WET OR UNPREPARED SURFACES. THE PA-28-236 TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL CHART FOR A DRY, PAVED RUNWAY, USING THE CONDITIONS EXISTING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, INDICATES A TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL OF 1000 FEET. ## Factual narrative On October 9, 1995, at 1400 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28- 236, N9090X, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when, after takeoff, the aircraft's left wing struck an embankment and subsequently came to rest in a marsh. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91. A flight plan was not on file. The pilot reported no injuries to himself or the two passengers. The flight originated near Thorp, Wisconsin, immediately prior to the accident, with a planned destination of West Chicago, Illinois. The pilot reported that midway through the takeoff roll he noticed that he was "not developing enough ground speed." His airspeed indicator showed 45 knots. He had expected to be at 55 to 60 knots at that point in the takeoff roll. He then realized that he was running out of runway. At 60 to 65 knots and within 100 feet from the end of the runway, the pilot "pulled the nose wheel off of the ground and bounced into the air." The pilot stated that he had to clear a ditch, a road and a fence at the end of the runway. He also said, "the stall alarm was blaring." The pilot brought the nose of the airplane down to level flight. He estimated that he was 10 to 15 feet above ground level. Almost immediately after leveling the nose of the airplane, the left wing dipped and struck the ground. The airplane spun around and slid sideways across some railroad tracks and stopped about 150 feet east of the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector who examined the accident site described the airfield the pilot took off from as a grass strip with a significant upslope. The grass was tall enough for him to put his hand in it and it come up to the top of his wrist. The field was also wet from rain which had occurred in the area the day prior to the accident. Inspection of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact abnormalities. Engine controls and flight controls exhibited complete continuity. A review of the pilot's operating handbook for this airplane provided no guidance for takeoff on wet or unprepared surfaces. The PA-28-236 takeoff ground roll chart for takeoff, with 25 degrees wing flaps on a paved, level, dry runway, and using outside air temperature and pressure altitude exhibited at the time of the accident, indicates a takeoff ground roll of 1000 feet. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9090X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9090X), registered now, S/N 2811001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-236 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-236](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-236) (registry code 7102815) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 2811001 - Airframe hours: 510 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-J3AD5D 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kenneth L. Machynia - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 18, 1995, 55 hours before - Destination: DPA, WEST CHICAGO, IL - Airport: North Fork Airport, runway 9, 1,700 × 120 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 284 total, 21 in this make and model, 190 as pilot in command, 31 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 5 knots - Visibility: 8 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft broken - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: EAU, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19951009031369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19951009031369A), Oct 9, 1995: Piper PA28236, Thorp, WI, Substantial damage. Not getting flying speed on takeoff bounced into air. Rolled left. Wing hit ground. Wet tall grass. Upslope factors (-23) Mr. Kenneth l. machynia began his… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.