- Date
- April 22, 2015, 09:50 local (13:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hartwell, GA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5616HPiper PA 16
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 9, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20150422005789A
- Case key
- 91070
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 during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that about 700 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane began to drift left as he approached the narrowest part of the runway. The airplane departed the runway to the left, impacted trees, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot and sole passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that about 700 feet into the takeoff roll, the airplane began to drift left as he approached the narrowest part of the runway. The airplane departed the runway to the left, impacted trees, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot and sole passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5616H
- Reported as
- Piper PA 16 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16-224
- Built
- 1949
- Airframe hours
- 1,978
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mountain Air Inc
- Registered owner
- Mountain Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 19, 2014
- Departed
- 0GA2 · Hartwell, GA
- Destination
- EOE · Newberry, SC
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 0GA2 · Airnautique, Inc., runway 26, 2,600 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 58
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 127 total · 109 in this make and model · 57 as pilot in command · 1 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KAND, 14 nm away
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.9 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.