- Date
- May 19, 1995, 16:56 local (20:56 UTC)
- Place
- Louisville, KY
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N43786Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950519012169A
- Case key
- 38965
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 pilot's inadequate planning which resulted in his failure to attain adequate airspeed for takeoff.
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 stated that weight and balance was determined to be 2522.3 lbs. With c.g. of 93 inches. He began the takeoff roll, and the airplane accelerated to '55 knots.' When he pulled back on the yoke the airplane rotated, but did not accelerate. The pilot decided to abort the take off. He 'throttled back, applied brakes and pulled back on the yoke. The airplane decelerated, but did not stop. The airplane crossed the intersecting runway, onto the grass, struck the airport security fence and stopped. The FAA inspector wrote in his statement, the 'corrected total weight' at takeoff was 2,575 pounds, and the maximum certified weight for takeoff was '2,550' pounds.
Factual narrative
On May 19, 1995, about 1656 eastern daylight time, a Piper, PA-28-181, N43786, was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff, from Bowman Field Airport, Louisville, Kentucky. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
Weight and balance was determined to be 2522.3 lbs. with C.G. of 93 inches)...I began takeoff roll on Runway 32 and the aircraft accelerated to 55 knots. I pulled back on the yoke with what I considered normal back pressure and the aircraft rotated...at that point the aircraft stopped accelerating. I decided to abort the take off. I throttled back, applied brakes and pulled back on the yoke. The aircraft decelerated but not at the rate I expected for full braking. The aircraft crossed...Runway 14 and onto the grass...struck the airport security fence and stopped...
According to the FAA Inspector's statement the "corrected total weight" at takeoff was 2,575 pounds, and the maximum certified weight for takeoff was "2,550" pounds.
The FAA Inspector wrote:
It is the opinion of this inspector that the over gross weight of this aircraft and the inexperience of the low time pilot to operate this aircraft in a HEAVY configuration led to the aborted takeoff and subsequent accident...inspection of the aircraft did not reveal any mechanical malfunction.
The Louisville (LOU) 1658 weather observation was; 3000 scattered, visibility 10 miles, temperature 75 degrees F, dew point 41 degrees F, wind 030 degrees, 9 knots, altimeter 29.88 inches Hg.
At the time of the accident the pilot's total flight hours was 116, all in this make and model airplane, and 52 hours as pilot- in-command.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43786
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890015
- Airframe hours
- 3,758
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Darren Piemont
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 1994 · 238 hours before
- Destination
- K24 · Jamestown, KY
- Airport
- LOU · Bowman Field, runway 32, 3,539 × 80 ft, asphalt
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
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 116 total · 116 in this make and model · 52 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LOU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.