- Date
- June 30, 2016, 14:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Amarillo, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5724FPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of lift
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160630011039A
- Case key
- 93539
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 attain an adequate rate of climb, which resulted in off airport landing and substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing.
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
After takeoff from an airport with an air density altitude near 6,400 feet, the pilot reported that he felt the airplane was not producing enough lift during the initial climb, so he considered returning to the airport to land, but saw the stall warning light illuminated and decided to land in a newly developed dirt field straight ahead. The pilot further reported that he continued to "nose over to develop airspeed" and maintained wings level throughout the descent. During the touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed and the fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
After takeoff from an airport with an air density altitude near 6,400 feet, the pilot reported that he felt the airplane was not producing enough lift during the initial climb, so he considered returning to the airport to land, but saw the stall warning light illuminated and decided to land in a newly developed dirt field straight ahead. The pilot further reported that he continued to "nose over to develop airspeed" and maintained wings level throughout the descent. During the touchdown, the nose landing gear collapsed and the fuselage and right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5724F
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25025
- Built
- 1968
- Airframe hours
- 5,131
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 20, 2015
- Departed
- TDW · Amarillo, TX
- Destination
- TDW · Amarillo, TX
- Airport
- TDW · Tradewind
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- April 15, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 200 total · 32 in this make and model · 157 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.05 inHg
- Observed at
- KAMA, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.