- Date
- September 30, 1987, 20:00 local (Oct 1, 1987, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Alvin, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4443TPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870930077709A
- Case key
- 22435
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt initiated a soft field type takeoff with 10 deg of flaps. He said that he started the takeoff with 'full aft control wheel' until the acft became airborne, then he lowered the nose to remain in ground effect. However, he failed to maintain airspeed & the acft drifted to the left of the rwy toward trees. Also, he stated that 'power was set at full,' but the airspeed 'was not sufficient to maintain controlled flight.' Subsequently, the acft 'crashed in a controlled manner into the trees.' No preimpact part failure or malfunction was rprtd.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4443T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7105228
- Airframe hours
- 3,066
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A3A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gregory M. Obert
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1987
- Airport
- Private, runway 33, 1,800 × 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 521 total · 112 in this make and model · 203 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.