DFW06CA133

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-38-112 · La Porte, TX · May 19, 2006

Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
May 19, 2006, 16:40 local (21:40 UTC)
Place
La Porte, TX
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N2378KPiper PA-38-112
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 3, 2006
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
Houston, Texas
FAA report
20060519030649A
Case key
63718

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot's inadequate weather evaluation and his failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall. A contributing factor was the prevailing tailwind.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Weather evaluation - improperPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Object - fence
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The 150-hour solo student pilot lost control of the single-engine airplane while attempting a short field takeoff from runway 30 with a prevailing 15 knot tailwind. According to the owner/operator of the airplane, the pilot reported that he was following another aircraft to runway 30 for takeoff. The operator added that the pilot performed an intersection takeoff instead of using all available runway because the aircraft he was following blocked his access. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the student pilot stated that after takeoff he allowed his airspeed to deteriorate and the stall horn activated. The pilot added that he elected to "crash" straight ahead after he realized that the airplane could not accelerate or climb. Investigation of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane touched down in the wings level attitude, about 76 feet from the departure end of the runway and impacted a chain link fence before coming to rest in the inverted position approximately 340 feet from the departure end of runway 30. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by the FAA inspector, the windsock was indicating a surface wind of at least 15 knots from approximately 160 degrees when the aircraft departed the 4,165-foot long by 75-foot wide runway. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 7 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported winds from 130 degrees at 10 knots. Another weather reporting station, located approximately 12 miles west of the accident site reported winds from 170 degrees at 11 knots. The student pilot failed to return a completed NTSB Form 6120.1 to the Investigator in Change (IIC).

Factual narrative

The 150-hour solo student pilot lost control of the single-engine airplane while attempting a short field takeoff from runway 30 with a prevailing 15 knot tailwind. According to the owner/operator of the airplane, the pilot reported that he was following another aircraft to runway 30 for takeoff. The operator added that the pilot performed an intersection takeoff instead of using all available runway because the aircraft he was following blocked his access. During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the student pilot stated that after takeoff he allowed his airspeed to deteriorate and the stall horn activated. The pilot added that he elected to "crash" straight ahead after he realized that the airplane could not accelerate or climb. Investigation of the accident site by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane touched down in the wings level attitude, about 76 feet from the departure end of the runway and impacted a chain link fence before coming to rest in the inverted position approximately 340 feet from the departure end of runway 30. According to eyewitnesses interviewed by the FAA inspector, the windsock was indicating a surface wind of at least 15 knots from approximately 160 degrees when the aircraft departed the 4,165-foot long by 75-foot wide runway. The nearest weather reporting station, located approximately 7 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported winds from 130 degrees at 10 knots. Another weather reporting station, located approximately 12 miles west of the accident site reported winds from 170 degrees at 11 knots. The student pilot failed to return a completed NTSB Form 6120.1 to the Investigator in Change (IIC).

Aircraft

Registration
N2378K
Reported as
Piper PA-38-112
Category
Airplane
Serial number
38-79A0601
Engine
Lycoming O-235-L2A, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Ascent Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
T41 · La Porte, TX
Destination
T41 · La Porte, TX
Airport
T41 · La Porte Municipal Airport, runway 30, 4,165 × 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
Student pilot
Age
18
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3
Seat
Left
Flight hours
150 total · 121 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
170° at 11 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
86 °F, dew point 63 °F
Altimeter
29.89 inHg
Observed at
HOU, 12 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.