- Date
- July 29, 1995, 09:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fulshear, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N135TSPiper PA-60-601A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950729020079A
- Case key
- 19516
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 failure to maintain a proper climb rate after take off. Factors were the pilot's diverted attention toward the malfunctioning landing gear, his intentional shutdown of operational engines, and the lack of suitable terrain for landing.
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
Prior to take off, a 'normal runup indicated [that] all systems [were] performing as expected.' Prior to releasing the brakes for take off, both 'engines were brought to full power.' After rotation the pilot attempted to retract the gear with negative results. He stated that the airplane was 'sluggish with the gear down', and a second attempt to raise the gear was not successful. Subsequently, the landing gear 'hit a fence' beyond the departure end of the runway, and then struck a gravel railroad berm. The pilot further stated that, the airplane was 'still flying in a sluggish manner' and elected to 'shut the throttles down' and land in a field with tall vegetation.
Factual narrative
On July 29, 1995, at 1005 central daylight time, an Aerostar PA- 60-601A, N135TS, was substantially damaged following an in- flight collision with a fence and a railroad berm shortly after takeoff from the Covey Trails Airpark, Fulshear, Texas. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane, owned by the pilot, was operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned cross country flight to Carlsbad, California.
On the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot stated the following information.. The airplane was flown from Houston, Texas, "with all systems operating normally" and landed at Covey Trails to refuel. Prior to take off, a "normal runup indicated [that] all systems [were] performing as expected." Prior to releasing the brakes for take off, both "engines were brought to full power." After rotation, the pilot attempted to retract the gear with negative results. He stated that the airplane was "sluggish with the gear down", and a second attempt to retract the gear was unsuccessful. The extended landing gear "hit a fence" beyond the departure end of the runway and subsequently struck a gravel railroad berm. The pilot further stated that, the airplane was "still flying in a sluggish manner" so he elected to "shut the throttles down" and landed. The airplane came to rest in a field with tall grass.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed structural damage to both wings and the fuselage. A fence post was observed to be broken, with a separated landing gear oleo strut found adjacent to the post. Additionally, a ground scar was observed perpendicular to the gravel railroad berm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N135TS
- Reported as
- Piper PA-60-601A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 61-0135-073
- Airframe hours
- 1,968
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph A. Gautreau
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 19, 1995 · 98 hours before
- Departed
- I30
- Destination
- CRQ · Carlsbad, CA
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,106 total · 106 in this make and model · 1,076 as pilot in command · 119 in the last 90 days · 55 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.