- Date
- April 14, 1989, 07:52 local (13:52 UTC)
- Place
- Milbank, SD
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8272WPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890414008089A
- Case key
- 17698
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
Failure by the pilot to assure adequate removal of frost from the aircraft which resulted in a stall/mush.
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 plt rprtd the acft seemed to function normally drg the takeoff roll; however, after lift-off, it would not climb above ground effect. He said it just cleared low trees aprx 300 to 400 ft from the end of the rwy, then it stalled into a fence. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found. Before the flt, the temp was slightly below freezing &there was frost on the acft. A mechanic stated the frost was wiped off the wings & tail before the flt. Beyond the departure end of the runway, the terrain was not suitable for an aborted takeoff. Also, the plt rprtd that the fence 'saved the day' as there were significant obstructions beyond the fence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8272W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-2426
- Airframe hours
- 2,741
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Spiering, Eugene
- Registered owner
- Eugene V Spiering
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 1989 · 5 hours before
- Destination
- Gettysburg, SD
- Airport
- Private Strip, runway 36, 1,700 × 60 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 413 total · 388 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ATY, 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.
Other investigations on N8272W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.