- Date
- October 3, 1993, 12:45 local (19:45 UTC)
- Place
- Orting, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7709HPiper PA-12
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 1, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931003037439A
- Case key
- 41829
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 in command's failure to maintain aircraft control.
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 takeoff roll the pilot allowed the aircraft's left wing to strike the ground. The aircraft then impacted the ground and slid backwards into brush along the runway's east edge. The pilot reported calm winds at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On October 3, 1993, at approximately 1245 hours Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Piper PA-12, N7709H, registered to and being flown by Herman M. Nirschl, a certificated commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when the aircraft's left wingtip struck the ground during takeoff at the Pierce County Airport, Orting, Washington. The pilot and his passenger were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been operated in accordance with the requirements set forth in 14CFR91.
The pilot reported that during takeoff the left wing began to drop followed by a left drift off the runway which he was unable to counteract. The aircraft's left wingtip struck the ground and the aircraft spun around 180 degrees proceeding into brush while travelling backwards. The pilot reported no powerplant or control malfunction at the time of the accident. He also reported that the winds were calm at the time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7709H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-601
- Engine
- Continental O-290-D, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Nirschl, Herman, M.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1993 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 1S0
- Destination
- 1S0
- Airport
- 1S0 · Pierce County-Thun Field, runway 16, 3,650 × 60 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
- 71
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,695 total · 41 in this make and model · 19 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TCM, 8 nm away
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 N7709H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.