- Date
- September 22, 2012, 07:30 local (11:30 UTC)
- Place
- Maryville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N56796Piper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 27, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA / FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120922021229A
- Case key
- 85176
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 failure to plan and execute a takeoff that assured obstacle clearance at the departure end of the runway, which resulted in a collision with trees.
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/owner stated that during the takeoff from his private airstrip, the airplane was unable to gain sufficient altitude to clear the trees at the end of the grass runway. The left wing and landing gear struck the top of a tree; the airplane impacted the ground nose first and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the wings, engine, firewall, and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, he stated that he did not complete performance planning calculations prior to takeoff.
Factual narrative
The pilot/owner stated that during the takeoff from his private airstrip, the airplane was unable to gain sufficient altitude to clear the trees at the end of the grass runway. The left wing and landing gear struck the top of a tree; the airplane impacted the ground nose first, and came to rest inverted. A post-accident examination conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings, engine, firewall, and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, he stated that he did not complete performance planning calculations prior to takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56796
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7425037
- Airframe hours
- 2,325
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 19, 2012 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- N/A · Maryville, TN
- Destination
- K2A0 · Dayton, TN
- Airport
- N/A · Private Airstrip, runway 10, 1,969 × 80 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
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 12, 2011
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 453 total · 300 in this make and model · 383 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KTYS, 10 nm away
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 13, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 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.