- Date
- August 19, 1989, 08:45 local (14:45 UTC)
- Place
- Dove Creek, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N56654Piper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890819030509A
- Case key
- 17768
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot. Factors related to the accident were: high density altitude, uphill sloping runway, failure of the pilot to follow the checklist and use all of the available runway, and the rising terrain and obstruction (power line) beyond the end of the runway.
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 & 3 psgrs were beginning a x-country flt. The plt said he made a 'quick outside check' of the airplane that did not include a fuel sump drain. He taxied onto rwy 1, which sloped upward to the north. He estimated the winds were calm. The plt said he started his takeoff run 300 ft down the runway, made a 'running' magneto check, but he did not make a carburetor heat check. He said the plane only climbed about 30 ft AGL. He noticed it was not climbing as fast as the terrain rose, so he decided to land in a field to avoid power lines in the flt path. Subsequently, the left wing hit the gnd & the landing gear was torn off. The door jammed, but a passerby helped the occupants from the cabin. An investigation failed to reveal any pre-acdnt part failure or malfunction. Density alt was about 8700 ft. about 37 mi west, the wind from 200 deg at 5 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56654
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 88-7410019
- Airframe hours
- 2,709
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B4B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Corlett, David L., doing business as Romer Mercantile & Grain Co.
- Registered owner
- Romer Mercantile & Grain Co.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1988 · 98 hours before
- Destination
- APA · Englewood, CO
- Airport
- runway 1, 4,000 × 50 ft, dirt
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
- 72
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,807 total · 5,807 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 23 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Observed at
- 4BL, 37 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.