- Date
- June 3, 1989, 13:50 local (17:50 UTC)
- Place
- Uxbridge, MA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9965DPiper PA22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 29, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890603014289A
- Case key
- 36417
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
Improper maneuvering shortly after takeoff from a private grass strip of marginal length for the caliber of acft being operated. A wind change added to the already exacting 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
During a left turn after takeoff from a private grass strip the pilot said he encountered wind shear and did not have sufficient altitude to recover. The aircraft hit the tops of trees then fell to the ground upside down. The pilot and his passenger received minor injuries but the aircraft was destroyed by the post crash fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9965D
- Reported as
- Piper PA22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-6756
- Airframe hours
- 1,875
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Wade C Gordan
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 1989 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- Uxbridge, MA
- Destination
- SFZ · Lincoln, RI
- Airport
- runway 27, 1,200 × 80 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
- 51
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 580 total · 430 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.