- Date
- July 16, 1989, 13:43 local (18:43 UTC)
- Place
- Celina, TX
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4360KPiper PA-32R-301T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890716022359A
- Case key
- 22782
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
Improper planning/decision by the pilot. Related factors were: failure of the pilot to use all of the available runway area, the runway/terrain conditions, and obstructions/power lines beyond the departure end of the runway.
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 elected to takeoff to the north from a 1931 ft grass strip. The wind was from 080 deg at 5 KTS, the temp was 93 deg, & the density alt was about 2925 ft. grass on the strip was 4 to 6 inches tall & was wet. The south end of the strip was soft & wet; the plt initiated his takeoff from a point with 1647 ft of rwy remaining. Drctly off the dep end of the strip was a 32 ft storage tank with a 10 ft wind sock on top. After lift-off, the acft was banked to the rgt. It cleared a lower maint bldg by a few ft, but struck pwr lines (28 & 33 ft AGL), then crashed. An investigation revealed the acft was loaded to about 12 lbs below the 3600 lb max allowable limit. According to the pilot operating handbook, 1700 ft would have been required to clear a 50 ft obstacle drg takeoff from a dry, paved rwy. Data provided by the manufacturer indcd that aprx 2340 ft would have been required to takeoff from a sod rwy with 6 inch, wet grass. The plt's last med cert was dated 3/17/87.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4360K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301T (PA-32R-301)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-301T
- Airframe hours
- 488
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Willard Grain & Feed, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Willard Grain & Feed, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 6, 1989 · 62 hours before
- Destination
- HOU · Houston, TX
- Airport
- NONE · Private, runway 1, 1,931 × 67 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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 120 in this make and model · 635 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 81 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ADS, 30 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.