Undetermined · NTSB CEN16LA310
PIPER PA-11 — Indianola, IA
| Date | August 5, 2016 |
| Location | Indianola, IA |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-11 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Prior to flight Aircraft loading event |
| Pilot age | 23 |
| Pilot total time | 255 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 3 hrs |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Angle of attack-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Airspeed-Not attained/maintained - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-CG/weight distribution-Capability exceeded - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Climb rate-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Weight/balance calculations-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of policy/procedure-Pilot
What happened
The commercial pilot was using a company airplane to accumulate flight time and experience. Two witnesses reported seeing the airplane climbing after takeoff and noted that the airplane was flying slowly and that it had a "hard time getting any lift." The airplane finally started to climb; however, the wings started rocking and the airplane subsequently descended into terrain. The witness statements were consistent with the prestall motions of the airplane.
The pilot and passenger were employed as company ground personnel. According to company policy, the pilot was not allowed to fly with passengers, and the passenger was only allowed to fly with a company flight instructor. The pilot was not a flight instructor. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A postaccident estimation of the airplane's weight and balance showed that the airplane exceeded its maximum gross weight at the time of the takeoff. It is likely that the pilot's inadequate preflight planning led to the airplane being operated above its maximum gross weight and degraded its climb performance and led to an aerodynamic stall.