FTW93LA194

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-28-140 · Hondo, TX · June 19, 1993

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 19, 1993, 16:58 local (21:58 UTC)
Place
Hondo, TX
Injuries
4 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N6695WPiper PA-28-140
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 26, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930619019609A
Case key
18778

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper evaluation of the weather which led to the downwind takeoff. Factors were the windshift and the tailwind.

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.

On ground/water encounter with weatherTakeoff - roll/run
Weather condition - unfavorable windFactor
Weather condition - tailwindFactor
Weather evaluation - improperPilot in commandCause
Aircraft performance,takeoff capability - exceeded
Aborted takeoff - performedPilot in command
OverrunTakeoff - aborted
Nose overTakeoff - aborted
Terrain condition - rough/uneven

Analysis

The pilot stated that the wind shifted to a tail wind after he boarded the airplane for takeoff. He stated that the airplane lifted off about three quarters of the way down the 2,000 foot grass strip and the airplane would not climb. He elected to abort and the airplane subsequently ran off the end off the runway into a plowed field and nosed over. Numerous isolated thunderstorms were in the area at the time.

Factual narrative

On Saturday, June 19, 1993, at approximately 1658 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N6695W, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a rejected takeoff at a private strip near Hondo, Texas. The airplane, owned by the commercial pilot, was departing on a local personal flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. Neither the pilot, nor the three passengers, were injured.

The pilot stated that when he was preparing for the flight the wind was steady out of the southwest, he therefore elected to takeoff to the south. He further stated that he broke ground about three quarters of the way down the 2,000 foot grass strip, but, the airplane would not climb. He then aborted the takeoff and touched back down on the strip. The airplane subsequently ran off the end of the runway into a plowed field and nosed over. The pilot stated that when he exited the airplane, he noticed that the wind was out of the north. He further stated that he had just mowed the strip and the grass was between one and two inches high and not "too" wet. Numerous isolated thunderstorms were in the area at the time.

Aircraft

Registration
N6695W
Reported as
Piper PA-28-140
Category
Airplane
Serial number
28-20804
Airframe hours
4,000
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Decker, Kirk K.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · December 2, 1992 · 30 hours before
Airport
NONE · Decker Ranch, runway 17, 2,000 × 30 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
37
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
600 total · 100 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
84 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.