NYC93LA131

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-32 · Spencer, MA · June 28, 1993

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 28, 1993, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
Place
Spencer, MA
Injuries
1 minor, 3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N3490WPiper PA-32
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report September 13, 1994
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930628020819A
Case key
38615

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning for the high density altitude departure and the delay in aborting the takeoff roll, with insufficient runway remaining, resulting in a collision 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.

OverrunTakeoff - aborted
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Aborted takeoff - delayedPilot in commandCause
On ground/water collision with objectTakeoff - aborted
Object - tree(s)

Analysis

The pilot was departing on a return cross country flight with three passengers, baggage and full fuel. During the takeoff roll, just beyond the half way point of the 1930 foot runway, the pilot was unsure that the airplane would clear trees at the end of the runway. Approximately three quarters of way down the runway, the pilot pulled off the power and aborted the takeoff. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway and impacted trees. The airport elevation was 1040 feet above mean sea level and the outside air temperature was approximately 90 degrees fahrenheit. According to the pilot operating handbook the distance required for this takeoff to clear a 50 foot obstacle was approximately 1900 feet

Factual narrative

On Monday, June 28, 1993, at about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA 32 260, N3490W, owned and piloted by Thomas Worthington, of Furlong, Pennsylvania, overran the end of the runway during an aborted takeoff from the Spencer Airport, Spencer, Massachusetts. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and two passengers were not injured, a third passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A flight plan had not been filed for the flight operating under 14 CFR 91.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, the pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane had only accelerated to approximately 50 miles per hour, after using half of the 1,950 foot runway. The pilot was unsure that the airplane could clear trees at the end of the runway and elected to abort the takeoff. The airplane overran the end of the runway, decelerated in light brush and impacted heavy brush.

The airplane was departing with four occupants, full fuel and several pieces of luggage. The airport elevation was 1050 feet above mean sea level and the outside air temperature was approximately 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

Aircraft

Registration
N3490W
Reported as
Piper PA-32
Category
Airplane
Serial number
32-369
Airframe hours
2,930
Engine
Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Thomas Worthington
Registered owner
Thomas Worthington
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 1, 1993 · 35 hours before
Departed
MA10
Destination
N88 · Doylestown, PA
Airport
MA10 · Spencer, runway 19, 1,930 × 50 ft, macadam

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
43
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
496 total · 47 in this make and model · 496 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
90 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.