- Date
- April 29, 1988, 12:05 local (16:05 UTC)
- Place
- Thomasville, PA
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3014ZPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880429071629A
- Case key
- 35999
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
Due to the pilot's improper preflight planning, he attempted to takeoff with his aircraft weight above the maximum gross weight in a high unfavorable 90 degree crosswind, failed to maintain directional control, and collided with trees.
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 pilot attempted to takeoff on rwy 16 with local winds from 270-290 degs at 15 knots with gusts. The takeoff was performed from an intersection, 300 feet from the approach end of the rwy. After climbing aprx 25 feet, the acft entered a left turn, climbed to aprx 100 feet AGL and collided with trees. Calculations indicate the acft was at least 71 lbs over max gross wt at takeoff. Weather info listed above in the data is the official weather reported 1 NM from the accident site.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3014Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6965
- Airframe hours
- 1,604
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- J. Baumbach & R. Guerrisi
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 23, 1987 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- THV · Thomasville, PA
- Destination
- CRE · Myrtle Beach, SC
- Airport
- York Airport, runway 16, 4,190 × 100 ft
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 191 total · 62 in this make and model · 134 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 19 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- THV, 1 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.