Piper PA-20-125 N7372K

Summary

On 13 August 1985 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper PA-20-125 registered N7372K was involved in an accident near Culpeper, Virginia, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 August 1985 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Culpeper, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Berryvale (VA30)

Coordinates

38.4703, -78.0006

Aircraft

Piper PA-20-125

Registration

N7372K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Orange

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO85FA068

4 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF ROLL BEGAN ABOUT 2000 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 2300 FT SOD RWY. THE A/C LIFTED OFF FROM A 3-POINT ATTITUDE AND CLIMBED AT A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, 'MUSHING ALONG' UNTIL IT FELL OFF ON THE RT WING AND STRUCK THE GROUND ABOUT 300 FT BYND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE STABILIZER TRIM WAS SET TO 2/3 OF ITS FULL NOSE UP TRAVEL. PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS REVEALED THAT 2100 FT IS REQ'D TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE FROM A LEVEL, DRY, PAVED RWY. PILOT IN COMMAND WAS FORMER NAVAL AVIATOR WHO HAD BEEN AN AIRLINE PLT SINCE 1967. HOWEVER, HE HAD FLOWN AS A B-727 FLIGHT ENGINEER DURING THAT ENTIRE TIME. THE OWNER OF N7372K ESTIMATED THAT THE PLT HAD FLOWN THE A/C ABOUT 50 HRS DURING THE PRECEEDING FEW MONTHS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.