- Date
- August 5, 2004, 07:34 local (14:34 UTC)
- Place
- Glendale, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1529APiper PA-20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 28, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040805016349A
- Case key
- 59834
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.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll the airplane departed the left side of the runway and collided with a ditch. The pilot usually raised the tail as soon as the elevator was effective, accelerated to takeoff speed, and rotated. On this flight he was attempting a 3-point takeoff technique that he had been shown, but never attempted himself. During the takeoff roll he lost directional control, departed the left side of the runway at a low speed, crossed a taxiway, and impacted a ditch. The pilot indicated that the airplane had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 2004, at 0734 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-20, N1529A, collided with terrain during takeoff at Glendale Municipal Airport, Glendale, Arizona. The private pilot owned the airplane, and was operating it under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight plan had not been filed. The personal cross-country flight was originating at Glendale.
The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). He stated that he was purchasing the airplane, and made an acceptance flight with the seller. The seller made the initial takeoff from a 3-point attitude. The pilot then did three landings and two takeoffs. For his takeoffs, the pilot raised the tail as soon as the elevator was effective, accelerated to takeoff speed, and rotated. He had been trained using this technique. He had never attempted a takeoff using a 3-point attitude.
After the acceptance flight, the pilot discussed takeoff technique with the seller, and decided that he would attempt the seller's 3-point technique on his flight home. During the takeoff roll, the airplane swerved left. The pilot stated that he undercorrected. The airplane departed the left side of the runway at a low speed, crossed a taxiway, and impacted a ditch.
The pilot indicated that the airplane had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1529A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20-723
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James D. Dunn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- KGEU · Glendale, AZ
- Destination
- KSGU · St George, UT
- Airport
- KGEU · Glendale Muni, runway 01
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
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 1,925 total · 2 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.