SEA05CA186

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-22 (20) · McCall, ID · September 5, 2005

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
September 5, 2005, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
Place
McCall, ID
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N8276CPiper PA-22 (20)
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report December 20, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20050905020709A
Case key
62395

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 failure to maintain airspeed during takeoff. A wire fence was a factor in the accident.

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.

On ground/water collision with objectEmergency landing
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Object - fenceFactor

Analysis

In a written statement the pilot reported that the airplane's takeoff acceleration was normal and that immediately after takeoff he lowered the airplane's nose and accelerated to best angle of climb while in ground effect. The pilot reported that after reaching best angle he began to climb; however, the airplane's airspeed rapidly decayed. The pilot reported that he lowered the airplane's nose, in response to the loss of airspeed, and turned the aircraft towards the crosswind and lowering terrain. After turning toward lowering terrain the pilot reported that he "landed on ground but hit wire fence." After colliding with the fence, the airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage. The 1650 METAR observation at McCall, reported weather conditions, in part, as: winds from 260 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 22 degrees Celsius; barometric pressure (altimeter) 30.14 inches. The McCall Airport is located in mountainous terrain. The airport elevation is 5,021 feet above mean sea level. The single hard surface runway (16/34) is 6,107 feet long and 75 feet wide.

Factual narrative

On September 5, 2005, about 1700 mountain daylight time, a tail wheel equipped Piper PA-22 (20), N8276C, sustained substantial damage after colliding with a fence shortly after takeoff from the McCall Municipal Airport, McCall, Idaho. The airplane is registered to the pilot, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-county flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The planned destination was Boise, Idaho.

In a written statement, dated September 6, the pilot reported that the airplane's takeoff acceleration was normal and that immediately after takeoff he lowered the airplane's nose and accelerated to best angle of climb while in ground effect. The pilot reported that after reaching best angle he began to climb, however the airplane's airspeed rapidly decayed. The pilot reported that he lowered the airplane's nose, in response to the loss of airspeed, and turned the aircraft towards the crosswind and lowering terrain. After turning toward lowering terrain the pilot reported that he "landed on ground but hit wire fence." After colliding with the fence, the airplane nosed over resulting in substantial damage.

The 1650 METAR observation at McCall, reported weather conditions, in part, as: winds from 260 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 22 degrees Celsius; barometric pressure (altimeter) 30.14 inches.

The pilot reported the following pre takeoff weights:

Pilot: 180 pounds

Passenger: 140 pounds

Dog: 80 pounds

Baggage: 40 pounds

Fuel: 108 pounds (approximately)

The McCall Airport is located in mountainous terrain. The airport elevation is 5,021 feet above mean sea level. The single hard surface runway (16/34) is 6,107 feet long and 75 feet wide.

Aircraft

Registration
N8276C
Reported as
Piper PA-22 (20)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
22-2352
Engine
Lycoming O-290, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Michael S. Weiss
Registered owner
Michael S. Weiss
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
MYL · McCall, ID
Destination
BOI · Boise, ID
Airport
MYL · Mc Call, runway 16

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
55
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3
Flight hours
2,226 total · 180 in this make and model · 48 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day

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 N8276C · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.