- Date
- September 7, 2018, 08:00 local (13:00 UTC)
- Place
- De Pere, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7595RPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180907013259A
- Case key
- 98278
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 improper decision not to abort the takeoff after the airplane encountered standing water on the runway, which decreased its speed and led to its subsequent inability to climb and resulted in a runway overrun.
Findings · 6
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 initiated a takeoff roll on the 2,200-ft-long wet, turf runway, and that, about 1,650 ft down the runway, the airplane encountered standing water, and the speed decreased. He reported that he "still felt I had plenty of room to regain airspeed and take off safely." The airplane encountered standing water again on another section of the runway, and the speed decreased further. The pilot retracted two notches of flaps and attempted to climb the airplane, but it exited the departure end of the runway and entered a cornfield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he initiated a takeoff roll on the 2,200-foot wet turf runway, and about 1,650-feet down the runway, the airplane encountered standing water and the airplane's airspeed decreased. He reported that he "still felt I had plenty of room to regain airspeed and takeoff safely." The airplane encountered additional standing water on another section of the runway and the airplane's airspeed again decreased. The pilot retracted 2 notches of flaps and attempted to climb, but the airplane exited the departure end of the runway and collided with a cornfield. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7595R
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (140)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-22163
- Airframe hours
- 3,938.73
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-EZA, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 9, 2018
- Departed
- 9WS2 · De Pere, WI
- Destination
- IMT · Iron Mountain, MI
- Airport
- 9WS2 · Antique Aerodrome, runway 18, 2,200 × 65 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Last flight review
- April 18, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,359.3 total · 1,359.3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.34 inHg
- Observed at
- KGRB, 7 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 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.