# NTSB ERA16LA212: Piper PA28RT, N42JA, Taylorsville, KY, June 12, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 12, 2016, 19:31 local (23:31 UTC) - Place: Taylorsville, KY - Coordinates: 38.072223, -85.233886 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.0722&lon=-85.2339&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Lycoming Engines, Piper Aircraft, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93369 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA212 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93369/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93369 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA212 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper decision to continue a takeoff with a partial loss of engine power that occurred early in the takeoff roll. The reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident fire damage to the engine precluded an examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Post-impact: Fire/smoke (post-impact)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170); cases with it: [Piper PA-28RT-201, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md?model=7102818), [All aircraft, 354 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/170/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot was attempting to take off from a 1,750-ft-long tall grass runway with a 4-knot tailwind. About one-quarter of the way down the runway, a witness heard the engine sputtering and observed that the airplane seemed slow. The witness radioed the pilot and asked him if he was going to reject the takeoff, but the pilot did not respond. The airplane rotated and climbed briefly, then descended and impacted downward-sloping terrain about 500 ft below and 250 yards beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area and was mostly consumed by a postcrash fire, the damage from which precluded an engine examination. ## Factual narrative On June 12, 2016, at 1931 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA 28RT-201, N42JA, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Little Mount International Airport (7KY3), Taylorsville, Kentucky. The pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight destined for Samuels Field Airport (BRY), Bardstown, Kentucky. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.Due to his injuries, the pilot did not recall the accident. A witness located near a hangar about one-quarter of the way down the approximate 1,750-foot-long turf runway, observed the airplane during the takeoff roll. The engine was "sputtering" and the airplane "seemed slow" as it passed by, at an estimated speed of about 30 knots. The witness attempted to contact the pilot using a handheld radio and asked him if he was going to reject the takeoff, but the pilot did not respond. The airplane rotated and climbed briefly, then descended and impacted downward sloping terrain about 500 feet below, and 250 yards beyond the departure end of the runway. Examination of the accident scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the grass on the turf runway was between 4 to 6 inches long throughout its length. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area and was mostly consumed by a postcrash fire. The left wing had separated during the impact sequence and was located about 25 feet up the debris path closer to the runway. The left wing contained fuel and was not fire-damaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the rudder, elevator, and right aileron, and from the cockpit to the left wing area. One propeller blade was bent slightly aft near the root, the other was straight. No gouges were observed in the leading edge of either blade. The engine sustained fire damage and the crankshaft could not be rotated by hand. Capital City Airport (FFT), Frankfort, Kentucky was located about 17 miles northeast of the accident site, at an elevation of 804 feet. At 1953, the reported weather included winds from 330 degrees at 4 knots, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point 21 degrees Celsius. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N42JA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42JA-2018-03-13), registration cancelled 2018-03-13, S/N 28R-7918110, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA28RT (201) - Registry model: [Piper PA-28RT-201](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28rt-201) (registry code 7102818) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 SER A&C](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-ser-a-c) (registry code 41511, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-7918110 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 9000 - Engines: LYCOMING IO360-CIC6 210 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 18, 2015, 250 hours before - Departed: 7KY3, Taylorsville, KY - Destination: BRY, BARDSTOWN, KY - Airport: 7KY3, Little Mount Intl, runway 15, 1,750 × 70 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review December 12, 2015; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,225 total, 10 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 330° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: KFFT, 17 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20160612009539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160612009539A), Jun 12, 2016: Piper PA-28RT-201, Taylorsville, KY, Destroyed. The aircraft attempted departure from the turf runway at the little mount airport (7KY3). Adequate accelleration for sustained flight was not obtained during… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 20, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93369. 1.8 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 589 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469713&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record - Conversation with FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 81 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469714&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record%20-%20Conversation%20with%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Weather Report (item 3, .PDF, 144 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469715&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report-Master.PDF - Photos (item 4, .PDF, 4 photos, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469716&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 5, .PDF, 626 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40469717&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.