- Date
- September 7, 1998, 10:26 local (17:26 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8772NPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980907035489A
- Case key
- 43860
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 use carburetor heat in temperature conditions conducive to carburetor icing and his failure to lean the engine in a high density altitude environment, which combined, led to a partial loss of engine power and the onset of a stall during the forced landing in rough uneven terrain.
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
The pilot took off with twice the amount of fuel needed to fly to his next fuel stop. After takeoff the aircraft was not able to gain speed or altitude. He had not leaned the mixture and the aircraft performance continued to decrease so the pilot decided to turn back toward the airport. The aircraft began to stall and he nosed the aircraft into the ground to avoid hitting power lines and other nearby structures. The temperature at the time of the accident was reported as 63 degrees, dew point 61 degrees with a density altitude of 7,400 feet. The pilot reported that he had not attempted to use carburetor heat. He stated there was no mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On September 7, 1998, at 1026 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N8772N, collided with the ground in a field 1 1/2 miles west of the Truckee, California, airport during the takeoff initial climb. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The private pilot/owner and passenger, the sole occupants, suffered minor injuries. The personal flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to the Troutdale, Oregon, airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The pilot reported that he took off on runway 28 and noticed that the takeoff roll was longer than usual. The stall light came on after takeoff and the aircraft was not gaining speed or altitude. As he got over the trees, the aircraft performance began decreasing further, so he decided to turn left to head back toward the airport and avoid the populated area. He reported that he had not tried to lean the mixture, and he had taken off with twice the amount of fuel needed to fly to his next fuel stop. The aircraft began to stall and he nosed the plane into the ground to avoid hitting power lines and other nearby structures. He estimated that his speed on impact was about 50 mph.
The temperature at the time of the accident was reported as 63 degrees and the dew point was 61 degrees. The pilot reported that he had not attempted to use carburetor heat. He further reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8772N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25771
- Airframe hours
- 3,781
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Chris Gunderson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1998 · 28 hours before
- Departed
- TRK · Truckee, CA
- Destination
- TTD · Troutdale, OR
- Airport
- TRK · Truckee, runway 28, 7,000 × 100 ft
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
- 34
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 226 total · 211 in this make and model · 185 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRK, 2 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.