- Date
- July 21, 2012, 11:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Cooperstown, NY
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7465KPiper PA-20
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120721016059A
- Case key
- 84429
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 compensation for crosswind conditions during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
Findings · 3
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
The pilot stated that, before initiating the takeoff, he observed that the two windsocks located on the runway indicated a crosswind. Just after lifting off, the pilot felt a gust of wind from the left, and the airplane was pushed right toward a cornfield located next to the runway. The right wingtip impacted cornstalks, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in the field, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that prior to initiating the takeoff, he observed that the two windsocks located on the runway indicated a crosswind. Just after lifting off, the pilot felt a gust of wind from the left, and the airplane was pushed right towards a cornfield located next to the runway. The right wingtip impacted cornstalks, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in the field, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and both left and right wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7465K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-376
- Airframe hours
- 2,046
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290 SERIES, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Vincent Dellechaie
- Registered owner
- Vincent Dellechaie
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 2012
- Departed
- K23 · Cooperstown, NY
- Destination
- RME · Rome, NY
- Airport
- K23 · Cooperstown-Westville Airport, runway 02, 3,000 × 150 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
- 84
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 11, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,120 total · 1,050 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- ALB, 48 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 22, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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.