- Date
- June 16, 1998, 19:50 local (Jun 17, 1998, 00:50 UTC)
- Place
- Jefferson, IA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6771FPiper PA28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980616013689A
- Case key
- 10917
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 lack of total experience in this type of aircraft and his failure to maintain directional control during an aborted takeoff. A factor was 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 was attempting a touch and go with three passengers in the airplane. When he rotated for liftoff, he felt the airplane did not feel right and initiated an aborted takeoff. He did not maintain directional control. The airplane exited the runway, traversed a grassy area, a roadway and impacted a ditch. The pilot said that this was the first time he had flown the airplane with three passengers. He also indicated that he had a total time in this make and model of airplane of 2.2 hours.
Factual narrative
On June 16, 1998, at 1950 central daylight time, a Piper PA28-151, N6771F, impacted the terrain during an aborted takeoff from Jefferson Airport, Jefferson, Iowa. The private pilot and three passengers were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot was practicing touch and go landings at the airport when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was on file. The flight had originated at Carroll, Iowa at 1930.
In a written statement, the pilot said he intended to conduct a touch and go landing. He indicated that during the landing roll he applied full throttle, and when he rotated for takeoff, "I felt the plane wasn't lifting compared to normal." He said that he then elected to abort the takeoff; however, was unable to stop the airplane on the paved portion of the runway. He said the airplane exited the runway, crossed a grassy area, a roadway, and came to rest in a ditch.
The pilot told authorities that this was the first time he had flown this airplane with three passengers and he wrote in his written statement that at the time of the accident he had accumulated a total time in this make and model airplane of 2.2 hours.
An examination of the airplane after the accident failed to reveal any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6771F
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7715178
- Airframe hours
- 4,300
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carroll Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 6, 1998 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- CIN · Carroll, IA
- Destination
- EFW
- Airport
- EFW · Jefferson Municipal, runway 32, 3,200 × 75 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
- 22
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 62 total · 2 in this make and model · 26 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °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.