- Date
- October 24, 1989, 14:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place
- Elkader, IA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N36163Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891024042509A
- Case key
- 34872
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 clearance from the runway marker at the departure end of the runway.
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 aircraft was taxied to the FAR end of the 1860 ft rwy, and the PIC added full power and began a takeoff roll to the south. An eyewitness stated the acft gained speed and rose from the ground, then he turned his attention away fm the acft. The witness then heard the aircraft strike a rwy end marker consisting of 3 palettes wired in a pyramind. The acft pitched nose high and entered a steep bank to the left as though returning to the airport. The acft crashed several hundred yards east of the departure end of the rwy in an open field. The elevator control surface sustained major damage during the takeoff, thereby restricting its movement, and ultimately, aircraft control. No pre-existing mechanical failure was discovered with either the aircraft engine or flight controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N36163
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7816617
- Airframe hours
- 4,020
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Pritts Aviation
- Registered owner
- Douglas A. Nutt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1989 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- C22 · Elkader, IA
- Destination
- SPW · Spencer, IA
- Airport
- C22 · Elkader, runway 17, 1,760 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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 · 20 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DBQ, 41 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.