- Date
- April 8, 2023, 08:55 local (12:55 UTC)
- Place
- Somerset, KY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2448RPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20230408003969A
- Case key
- 107078
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 maintain control of the airplane during the takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with an airport navigation antenna.
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 solo student pilot was taking off in gusting wind and described that shortly after rotation, he saw the stall warning light illuminate. He reported that although the engine was developing full power and he leveled off to regain airspeed, the airplane settled back onto the runway and “pulled left.” Despite the pilot’s attempt to keep the airplane on the runway, it departed the runway, impacted an instrument landing system antenna, crossed a taxiway, and then came to rest. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2448R
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-5624
- Built
- 1970
- Airframe hours
- 5,616
- Engine
- Lycoming O360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 31, 2023 · 0 hours before
- Destination
- LEX · Lexington, KY
- Airport
- SME · Lake Cumberland Rgnl, runway 5, 5,801 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 8, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 68 total · 23 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Turbulence
- Unknown
- Observed at
- SME
- METAR
- KSME 081255Z AUTO 07008KT 10SM OVC042 09/M02 A3029 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT S
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 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.