- Date
- June 14, 1992, 18:00 local (Jun 15, 1992, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- W. Yellowstone, MT
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2839RPiper PA-28R-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920614020079A
- Case key
- 42834
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
A stall/mush encountered due to poor pre-flight planning/preparation. Factors to the accident were: high density altitude and gross weight exceeded.
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
During the initial climb, just after takeoff, with twenty-five degrees of flaps extended, the pilot reported that everything was normal. The airplane reached an altitude of approximately 300 feet AGL when it began to descend and would not maintain altitude. The pilot initiated a landing straight ahead in an open field. During the landing roll the airplane collided with the terrain. Post crash inspection revealed no evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction. Weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane exceeded maximum gross weight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2839R
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-35304
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Hughes, Philip D.
- Registered owner
- Hughes, Philip D.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Destination
- 42U · Mt Green, UT
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
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 904 total · 355 in this make and model · 839 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
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 N2839R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.