- Date
- February 26, 2003, 11:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Blue Bell, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N711AVPiper PA-44-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20030226030519A
- Case key
- 56545
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 directional control after a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
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 airplane was departing a 3,700-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot stated he applied power to both engines and approximately 300 feet down the runway, he experienced an "aggressive" yaw to the right. He attempted to correct with left rudder, and then retarded the throttles. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a snowbank. A witness reported he observed the airplane as it was departing the right side of the runway and noticed that the right propeller appeared to be revolving at a much slower rate then the left propeller. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
On February 26, 2003, about 1105 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-44-180, N711AV, was substantially damaged during takeoff from Wings Field Airport (LOM), Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The airplane was departing from runway 6, a 3,700-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway.
The pilot stated he applied power to both engines and airplane accelerated normally. Approximately 300 feet down the runway, he experienced an "aggressive" yaw to the right and attempted to correct with left rudder. The pilot then realized that the airplane was going to go off the runway surface and retarded the throttles. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and impacted a snowbank. The pilot added that he did not observe the airplane's engine instrument indications.
A certified flight instructor stated he observed the airplane as it was departing the right side of the runway and noticed that the "right propeller appeared to be revolving at a much slower rate then the left propeller."
The pilot reported about 1,300 hours of total flight experience, which included about 145 hours in multiengine airplanes, and 58 hours in make and model.
Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, which included a compression check of both engines cylinders, did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions.
Winds reported at an airport about 7 miles southwest of LOM, at 1055, were from 100 degrees at 9 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N711AV
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 44-7995215
- Airframe hours
- 5,190
- Engines
- Lycoming O-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming O-360-A1H6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Sabrina Beacham
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 15, 2002 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- LOM · Blue Bell, PA
- Destination
- Blue Bell, PA
- Airport
- LOM · Wings Field, runway 6, 3,700 × 75 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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- April 16, 2002
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,283 total · 58 in this make and model · 102 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 19 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- NXX, 8 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.
Other investigations on N711AV · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.