- Date
- May 11, 1989, 13:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Moberly, MO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7741WPiper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890511011589A
- Case key
- 34789
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 failure of the pilot in command to maintain control of the aircraft while on takeoff ground run. Contributing to this lack of control were wind gusts from dust devils in the area, thermal activity, and the pilot's lack of experience.
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 continuation of a student solo cross-country flt, while on a takeoff ground run, the acft veered abruptly to the left and a loss of directional control resulted. The acft traveled off the runway and collided with a ditch. The plt and witnesses stated there were numerous dust devils in the area along with thermal activity. The plt felt that the weather contributed to the loss of control and subsequent crash.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7741W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1801750
- Airframe hours
- 2,145
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Wundrack, Bruce M
- Registered owner
- Wundrack, Bruce M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1988 · 92 hours before
- Departed
- MBY · Moberly, MO
- Destination
- H23 · Blue Mound, IL
- Airport
- MBY · Omar Bradley, runway 5, 3,720 × 60 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
- 34
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 42 total · 42 in this make and model · 15 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- COU, 30 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.