- Date
- September 29, 1989, 21:00 local (Sep 30, 1989, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- St. Charles, MN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7844DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890929037179A
- Case key
- 34698
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 a positive rate of climb during a night takeoff. Contributing factor(s) was: an out-of-c.g airplane, takeoff with only one magneto operating; and the limited vision of the pilot.
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
Takeoff was at night with a vehicle positioned at the departure end of the runway and its headlights shining toward the aircraft during the takeoff roll. The airplane appeared to take an abnormally long takeoff roll. The airplane was then observed turning and settling into trees. It is estimated that the airplane's foward c.g. limit was exceeded based on the pilot's and front seat pax's weight. The pilot had no useful vision in one eye. The pilot had previously flown the airplane on one mag on more than one occasion. The mag switch was found in the right mag position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7844D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5494
- Airframe hours
- 2,806
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A1A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James E. Gordon
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 9, 1989
- Destination
- 90D · Pine City, MN
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 125 total · 28 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RST, 22 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.