- Date
- September 25, 2015, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ama, LA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6361BCessna 182A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20150925017569A
- Case key
- 92071
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 decision to takeoff on a partially obstructed runway, which resulted in a collision with trees.
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
According to the pilot, while taxiing onto the runway of his private airstrip, he noticed that there were dogs on the runway. The pilot decided to position his airplane on the left side of the runway in order to accommodate the canines during his takeoff roll. The pilot reported that shortly after rotation, the airplane's left wing tip struck a tree. The pilot stated that the forces from impact, spun the airplane 90 degrees to the left, into the tree line where the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies existed that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, while taxiing onto the runway of his private airstrip, he noticed that there were dogs on the runway. The pilot decided to position his airplane on the left side of the runway in order to accommodate the canines during his takeoff roll. The pilot reported that shortly after rotation, the airplane's left wing tip struck a tree. The pilot stated that the forces from impact, spun the airplane 90 degrees to the left, into the tree line where the airplane came to rest. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies existed that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6361B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A (A)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34261
- Built
- 1957
- Airframe hours
- 4,597.5
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chris J. Petit
- Registered owner
- Chris J. Petit
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 7, 2015
- Departed
- PVT · Ama, LA
- Destination
- PVT · Ama, LA
- Airport
- PVT · Na, runway 16, 3,000 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
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
- 62
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 20, 2014
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,020 total · 400 in this make and model · 990 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- MSY, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 24, 2015, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.