- Date
- July 7, 1991, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sonora, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N83165Piper PA-28RT-201T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910707026419A
- Case key
- 23363
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 improper aircraft control during the takeoff ground run. Factors were the density altitude and the rough terrain.
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 pilot was attempting to takeoff from a rough, downhill airstrip on a private ranch when the airplane struck a cattle fence, bushes, and a dirt embankment. The airplane nosed over. Numerous ground scrape marks were observed on the ground along the airplane's departure path. The density altitude was reported to be 5,000 feet. The pilot was flying from the right front seat position with his son in the left front seat. The pilot stated, 'at the point of go/no-go, we had to continue as we could not get stopped in that distance.' No mechanical anomalies were found to any airplane system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83165
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28RT-201T (PA-28RT-20)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R8131052
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360-FB1B, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Travis N. Hand, doing business as Hand Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Travis N. Hand
- Destination
- T02 · Friendswood, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- NONE · Whitehead Ranch, runway 36, 3,500 × ft, dirt
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
- 48
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,819 total · 163 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.