- Date
- June 8, 2017, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Auburn, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4543RPiper PA 28
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 14, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170608005209A
- Case key
- 95360
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 continue to attempt to take off despite the airplane’s inability to attain a positive climb rate, which resulted in little runway remaining, and his subsequent decision to turn off the runway, which resulted in a collision with a barn.
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 he attempted to take off in the airplane from his turf airstrip. He attempted to force the airplane into the air, and after a brief ascent, the airplane descended to the ground and touched down hard. The pilot continued the sequence of lifting off and then touching down again until he determined that he would not be able to clear the trees at the end of the runway. He made a left turn, and the airplane traveled through two fields, hit a ditch, and collided with a barn. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had aborted the takeoff after the first bounce. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the airplane reported that he attempted to take off from his turf airstrip. He attempted to force the airplane into the air and after a brief ascent the airplane descended to the ground and touched down hard. The pilot continued to the previous sequence until he determined that he would not be able to clear the trees at the end of the runway. He made a left turn, and the airplane traveled through a bean field, a hay field, and hit a ditch and collided with a barn. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented, if he had aborted the takeoff after the first bounce the accident never would have happened. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4543R
- Reported as
- Piper PA 28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-21248
- Built
- 1965
- Airframe hours
- 2,871.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 5, 2016
- Departed
- PVT · Auburn, IN
- Destination
- 22IN · Auburn, IN
- Airport
- 22IN · Mooney Field, runway 27, 2,000 × 50 ft, grass/turf
- 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
- 74
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 21, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 271 total · 77 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- GWB
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 12, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.