- Date
- February 4, 2007, 14:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Ontario, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9670TPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070204001089A
- Case key
- 65237
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 failure to obtain and maintain an airspeed above Vs after lifting off of a remote gravel airstrip. Factors include the pilot's failure to correctly understand the procedure to use for a soft-field 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 aircraft descended into a reservoir off the departure end of the runway during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot held the control yoke in the full aft position during the entire takeoff roll. Due to the position of the control yoke, the aircraft used considerably more runway than it would have if the yoke had been in the near-neutral position. After lifting off approximately 1,600 feet down the 1,840 foot runway, the aircraft traveled about 300 more feet before settling into a reservoir that was just off the departure end of the runway. There was no report of any engine or flight control problem.
Factual narrative
During a takeoff from a remote airstrip of hard-packed gravel, the pilot held the control yoke in the full aft position during the entire takeoff roll. Due to the position of the control yoke, the aircraft used considerably more runway than it would have if the yoke had been in the near-neutral position. After lifting off approximately 1,600 feet down the 1,840 foot runway, the aircraft traveled about 300 more feet before settling into a reservoir that was just off the departure end of the runway. In the Operators Safety Recommendation section of the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the pilot wrote "Better takeoff technique." There was no report of any engine or flight control problem.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9670T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 78A0154
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William O. Dodd Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 28U · Ontario, OR
- Destination
- KEUL · Caldwell, ID
- Airport
- 28U · Owyhee Reservoir State, runway 12, 1,840 × 30 ft, dirt
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 90 in this make and model · 12 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.