- Date
- March 30, 2008, 11:18 local (17:18 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Canyon, AZ
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N5521JPiper PA-32-260
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 28, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20080330838209A
- Case key
- 67829
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 inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and delay in aborting the takeoff. Contributing to the accident were wind gusts and a crosswind.
Findings · 4
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 fueling the airplane, a normal engine start was accomplished and the pilot announced on Unicom that he was taxiing to runway 19 for engine run up. Prior to takeoff, the pilot requested a wind check, and was given 170 to 220 degrees at 20-25 knots. During the takeoff roll, the airplane drifted towards the right edge of the runway. The airplane became airborne momentarily, but settled back to the runway as it continued to accelerate. With about a quarter of the runway remaining, the pilot aborted the takeoff. During the pilot's attempts to stop the airplane, it overran the end of the runway and came to rest approximately 100 feet from the end. The left wing's spar was bent, and the wing's top skin and bottom skin were wrinkled.
Factual narrative
After fueling the airplane, a normal engine start was accomplished and the pilot announced on Unicom that he was taxiing to runway 19 for engine run up. Prior to takeoff, the pilot requested a wind check, and was given 170 to 220 degrees at 20-25 knots. During the takeoff roll, the airplane drifted towards the right edge of the runway. The airplane became airborne momentarily, but settled back to the runway as it continued to accelerate. With about a quarter of the runway remaining, the pilot aborted the takeoff. During the pilot's attempts to stop the airplane, it overran the end of the runway and came to rest approximately 100 feet from the end. The left wing's spar was bent, and the wing's top skin and bottom skin were wrinkled.
The pilot had three passengers on board. The density altitude was 7,000 feet. The conditions at Grand Canyon National Park Airport, approximately 18 nautical miles north of the accident site, were wind from 210 to 240 degrees at 22 knots, gusting to 31 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5521J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32-958
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E435, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Christian Missionary Pilots Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 40G · Grand Canyon, AZ
- Destination
- REI · Redlands, CA
- Airport
- 40G · Valle Airport, runway 19, 4,199 × 45 ft, asphalt
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 891 total · 77 in this make and model · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 22 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- GCN, 18 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.