- Date
- June 13, 2007, 05:45 local (09:45 UTC)
- Place
- Tinicum, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3023UPiper PA-28RT-201
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 30, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070613008709A
- Case key
- 66017
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 instrument-rated pilot's failure to maintain runway alignment by instruments after encountering fog during the initial climb. A factor was the foggy weather conditions.
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 instrument-rated private pilot was attempting an early morning, short-field takeoff from a turf airstrip in a Piper PA-28RT-201. During the take-off roll, "mist blew into the departure end of the runway." The pilot continued the takeoff, and about 50 feet above the ground, the airplane impacted trees off the left side of the runway and flipped over. A fire department photograph, taken upon arrival at the airstrip, revealed the presence of fog about half way down the runway. The airstrip was 2,200 feet long and 100 feet wide, with trees on both sides.
Factual narrative
According to the instrument-rated private pilot, he was attempting an early morning, short-field takeoff from a turf airstrip in a Piper PA-28RT-201. During the take-off roll, "mist blew into the departure end of the runway." The pilot continued the takeoff, and about 50 feet above the ground, the airplane impacted trees off the left side of the runway and flipped over. A fire department photograph, taken upon arrival at the airstrip, revealed the presence of fog about half way down the runway. The airstrip was 2,200 feet long and 100 feet wide, with trees on both sides.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3023U
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28RT-201
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7918073
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James Specter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 56PA · Tinicum, PA
- Destination
- BGR · Bangor, ME
- Airport
- 56PA · Hoge Farm, runway 24, 2,200 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 2,221 total · 1,890 in this make and model · 19 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 2,221 total · 1,890 in this make and model · 19 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.