- Date
- November 4, 1989, 21:45 local (Nov 5, 1989, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Marietta, OK
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N536SFPiper PA-28-151
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891104046529A
- Case key
- 23072
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 use of the wrong runway for takeoff. Factors related to the accident were: the tailwind and rising terrain 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 & 3 passengers took off from a 2450 ft sod strip with a tailwind. After takeoff, the acft began to settle. Subsequently, it contacted rising terrain about 150 ft beyond the departure end of the rwy & 30 to 40 ft above the rwy elevation. It then rolled about 500 ft & struck a barbed wire fence & trees. The plt rprtd he was aware the acft was going to contact the terrain; therefore, he reduced power & applied brakes. About 150 mi north at Oklahoma city, the wind was from 170 deg at 17 KTS. Psnl at the airstrip estimated the wind was southerly at about 15 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N536SF
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-151
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7715110
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E3D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Grand Prairie Aviation
- Registered owner
- Jerry Mclellan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- T50
- Destination
- F67 · Grand Prairie, TX
- Airport
- T40 · Mcgehee, runway 35, 2,450 × 55 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 24
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 245 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 170° at 17 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- OKC, 93 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.