- Date
- November 22, 1997, 10:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Newberg, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7528DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971122034259A
- Case key
- 42737
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 pilots failure to account for the increased drag on the runway during the preflight planning. Factors were the long, wet grass.
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 takeoff from a turf runway with wet grass, the airplane became airborne but not soon enough to clear the trees at the end of the runway. The pilot stated that he didn't fully evaluate the drag of the longer than usual wet grass.
Factual narrative
On November 22, 1997, approximately 1030 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-22-150, N7528D, collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip near Newberg, OR. The commercial pilot was seriously injured and his two passengers received minor injuries. The airplane, which was owned by the pilot, received substantial damage. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing for an intended flight to Albany, OR. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
In the pilot's aircraft accident report, he stated "I don't fully evaluate the drag of longer then (sic) usual wet grass, and soft ground. We got flying speed but not soon enough to clear trees at end of runway."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7528D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5258
- Airframe hours
- 5,075
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2A, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Earl L. Stonebrink
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 20, 1997 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- 17S
- Destination
- S12 · Albany, OR
- Airport
- 17S · Chehalem Airpark
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
- 63
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,535 total · 11 in this make and model · 2,393 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 50 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.