- Date
- December 2, 2009, 09:05 local (13:05 UTC)
- Place
- Patillas, PR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2539KPiper PA-38-112
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 6, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20091202051939A
- Case key
- 75127
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 inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain clearance from a tree.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he conducted a preflight inspection before taking off from the paved, 2,000-foot runway. The takeoff was "normal," but the airplane's climb rate was "not enough to clear trees" at the end of the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane lifted off about 1,500 feet down the runway. The airplane's right wing subsequently hit a tree located to the right of the runway and sustained substantial damage. The inspector also reported no mechanical anomalies and confirmed compression on all engine cylinders. Photographs of the tree indicated that it was about 50 feet beyond and 50 feet to the right of the runway. Straight out and to the left of runway provided a relatively clear pathway. Using the ambient weather conditions, including a 6-knot headwind, the only takeoff performance data available in the pilot's operating handbook indicated that the airplane's takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle should have been approximately 1,450 feet.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he conducted a pre-flight inspection before taking off from the paved, 2,000-foot runway. The takeoff was "normal," but the airplane's climb rate was "not enough to clear trees" at the end of the runway. According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the airplane lifted off about 1,500 feet down the runway. The airplane's right wing subsequently hit a tree located to the right of the runway, and sustained substantial damage. The inspector also reported no mechanical anomalies, and confirmed compression on all engine cylinders. Photographs of the tree indicated it was about 50 beyond, and 50 feet to the right of the runway. Straight out, and to the left of runway provided a relatively clear pathway. Utilizing the ambient weather conditions, including a 6-knot headwind, the only takeoff performance data available in the pilot's operating handbook indicated that the airplane's takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle should have been approximately 1,450 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2539K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 38-79A0677
- Engine
- Lycoming 0-235 SERIES, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Velazquez Ramon L
- Registered owner
- Velazquez Ramon L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- X64 · Patillas, PR
- Destination
- JRV · Ceiba, PR
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- X64 · Patillas Airport, runway 10, 2,000 × 50 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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Unknown
- Flight hours
- 400 total · 100 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JSJ, 27 nm away
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.