Takeoff & Initial Climb · NTSB CEN09FA393
PIPER PA-32R-300 — Lakeview, AR
| Date | June 26, 2009 |
| Location | Lakeview, AR |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-32R-300 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Initial climb Collision during takeoff/land |
| Pilot age | 52 |
| Pilot total time | 674 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | 165 hrs |
| Fatalities | 3, 1 serious |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Performance calculations-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Weight/balance calculations-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-Climb capability-Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-High temperature-Effect on operation
- Aircraft-Aircraft structures-Wing structure-Trailing edge flaps-Not used/operated
What happened
An employee who helped load the airplane thought it was “overloaded” and that the passengers seemed “tense" and “in a hurry to leave.” The pilot made a flaps-up takeoff. It was calculated that at takeoff, the airplane was 188 pounds over maximum certificated gross weight, and the aft c.g. limit was exceeded by 0.15 inches. It was calculated that the flaps up takeoff ground roll would be approximately 1,970 feet, and the flaps up takeoff distance over a 50-foot barrier would be approximately 3,190 feet. The grass runway was 3,200 feet long. Prior to takeoff, the pilot told a surviving passenger that they were going to need all of the runway for takeoff. The passenger said the airplane lifted off at the end of the runway, dropped down into a shallow valley, touched the ground, and lifted off again. It touched down a second time, hit a barbed wire fence and tree, and “rolled” several times. Witnesses said the airplane lifted off in a nose high attitude, disappeared into a shallow valley, then reappeared in a slight climb. The wings were "wig-wagging" and the airplane was "porpoising." GPS data indicates the airplane lifted off between 74 and 78 mph and climbed no more than 29 feet. A videotape of the takeoff corroborated witness' observations. Post-accident examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.