- Date
- November 7, 1997, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Broomfield, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9607DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971107032679A
- Case key
- 20481
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 directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll, due to inadvertently stepping on the brake. A related factor was the pilot's excessive use of rudder for steering.
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 said he began the takeoff roll and at 25 to 30 mph, he raised the tail. The airplane 'immediately jerked to the left.' The pilot corrected with right rudder, overshot the runway centerline, and the airplane 'jerked to the left' again. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway. The right landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. In an interview with the pilot, he said he 'over-corrected' and the airplane began 'fish tailing.' The right wing then contacted the ground as the aircraft swerved to the left and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said he may have inadvertently stepped on a brake, causing the loss of control.
Factual narrative
On November 7, 1997, approximately 1100 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-22-150 (converted to a PA-20), N9607D, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during the takeoff roll at Broomfield, Colorado. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot said he began the takeoff roll and at 25 to 30 mph, he raised the tail. The airplane "immediately jerked to the left." The pilot corrected with right rudder, overshot the runway centerline, and the airplane "jerked to the left" again. The pilot aborted the takeoff but the airplane skidded off the right side of the runway. The right landing gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over.
In an interview with the pilot, he said he "over-corrected" and the airplane began "fish tailing." The right wing then contacted the ground as the aircraft swerved to the left and the airplane nosed over. The pilot said he may have inadvertently stepped on a brake, causing the loss of control. Damage was consisted of a collapsed right main landing gear, bent left wing spar, and twisted engine cowling.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9607D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6517
- Airframe hours
- 3,272
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Howard D. Armstrong
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 23, 1997 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- BJC
- Airport
- BJC · Jefferson County, runway 11L, 9,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 64
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,659 total · 92 in this make and model · 3,126 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BJC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.