- Date
- July 4, 1991, 13:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Tunkhannock, PA
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7315DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910704025959A
- Case key
- 36954
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 use of the flight controls by the pilot which resulted in an inadvertent stall on takeoff with insufficient altitude for recovery. Factors related to the accident was the failure of the pilot to properly set the elevator trim prior to takeoff and the pilot's lack of total experience and lack of experience in type of airplane.
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
Prior to takeoff the pilot failed to detect the elevator trim was set for nose up and allowed the airplane to become airborne prematurely and stall. The airplane contacted the ground in a left wing low attitude and came to a stop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7315D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5103
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Skyhaven Airport, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Skyhaven Airport, Inc.
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Airport
- 76N · Skyhaven, runway 19, 1,975 × 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 62 total · 12 in this make and model · 23 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
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 N7315D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.