- Date
- July 20, 2023, 09:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Elko, NV
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4149JPiper PA-28-140
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230720013109A
- Case key
- 192686
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 ensure adequate airplane performance before taking off from a significantly shorter runway than originally planned for.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that the density altitude conditions were increasing but were within takeoff performance limits. During taxi to his planned departure runway, he was informed that the runway was closed, so he chose to depart from a different runway about 4,400 ft shorter than originally planned for. During takeoff the airplane did not have the performance necessary to attain rotation speed before the end of the runway, but the pilot did not abort the takeoff. He rotated the airplane 5-10 knots too slow and was unable to clear a fence off the departure end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would preclude normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4149J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-22474
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 4,697
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Elko Aviation Group, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2023 · 48 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- KEKO · Elko Regional Airport, runway 30, 3,015 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 61
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 263 total · 142 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.27 inHg
- Observed at
- KEKO
- METAR
- KEKO 201656Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM CLR 26/12 A3027 RMK AO2 SLP195 T02560117
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 MB in all.
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 N4149J · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.